


The Legendary Nightblood

by gorgondrifter



Category: Tarzan - Edgar Rice Burroughs, The 100 (TV), The 100 Series - Kass Morgan
Genre: Clexa, F/F, Love at First Sight, South America, Strangers to Lovers, Tarzan Lexa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2020-10-27 05:35:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 46
Words: 69,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20755175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gorgondrifter/pseuds/gorgondrifter
Summary: Art Enthusiast Clarke Griffin decides to take up her parents offer to go to South America on an expedition to the Amazon Rainforest. Little did she realise it would bring her face to face with a mysterious wild woman living in the jungle who can barely speak yet who takes her breath away.Aka the Tarzan Lexa/Jane/Clarke story.





	1. Intrepid Explorer

**Author's Note:**

> As always, hate comments will be deleted. I hope you enjoy the story.

Clarke stared into emerald eyes, a feeling she had never experienced before in her life drowning all sense of rational. The stranger had saved her. She was no longer in danger so why did her heart beat so fast as they gazed down at her.

  
A Few Weeks Earlier...

Clarke Griffin loved to travel. She loved to have adventures and discover all the wonders the world had to offer. She had visited the Berlin wall when she was eight. She had drank tea in China when she was twelve. She had stayed with native tribes in Central Africa and Indonesia and India. She had travelled extensively with her parents, the world reknown Griffin family, her mother a prestigious philanphropist medical doctor and her father an award winning anthropologist.

So at age 23, when she was asked if she wanted to travel with them to a remote part of South America to live with an Amazonian tribe, she was excited.

They arrived in the already established camp with the team. Clarke met them all and setup her own tent, laying out her sleeping bag in the centre and placing her large backpack in the corner.

"Hi!"

Clarke turned around to see a young brunette entering her tent. She had her hair tied back in a ponytail and was wearing sensible loose clothes and hiking shoes.

"Hi," Clarke said politely. "I just got here and haven't got to know everybody yet. You are...?"

"Raven Reyes," the girl said, "your guide."

Clarke got to her feet, wiping her hand on her shorts.

"Clarke Griffin, you don't sound local."

"I was born here but my folks moved to America. I know the land like the back of my hand and have some connections to the Aguila tribe. What's your gig?"

Clarke shook her head, smiling back at her.

"No gig. My parents are on the team and I'm researching traditional native South American art styles for a research paper I want to write."

"Ah, researching art..." Raven said with a grin. "That's awesome. I can help you with that. I know a few sites in the area. I'll take you some time. Better be careful though. The region is a lot safer than a few years ago but there's still some tensions between the indigenous people and the farmers."

"I understand," Clarke said. "I'll follow your lead. You're the expert here."

Raven grinned.

"I think we're gonna have a blast. I'll introduce you to the rest of the team."

"Sure."

Clarke followed Raven outside where the brunette proceeded to detail who everyone was and what they brought to the group. As she listened patiently, Clarke thought to herself that it was going to be a great summer and that she had been absolutely right to escape Arkadia and all of her friends and get away for a while, especially from Finn.

  
Just a few weeks later and she was staring down death, convinced that this time she had gotten in over her head. Raven had showed her a site, just a little way from their camp. She knew not to go alone into the jungle but she took supplies and a radio and thought it would be okay given how well she knew the route now and how close to camp it was. She had been there a few times on her own before, enjoying how isolated it was and had never seen a single soul there so she reasoned it was okay to risk it again.

She set off with her backpack and found the site fairly quickly. It was barely a few slabs on top of each other and there weren't even any remnants of symbols or artwork on them but she wanted to sketch the structure, fascinated with the way it was arranged.

She was so busy sketching that didn't notice the hungry predator stalking her. Clarke turned when she heard a low growling and was face to face with a yellow and black jaguar. Clarke was paralysed with fear immediately. In her mind she tried to tell herself that jaguar attacks were rare, that humans were almost never attacked by them and a million facts about them raced through her mind but her body didn't listen and she was convinced she was dead.

She felt the impact of something hitting her sideways knocking her to the ground behind the ruined wall and thought she was about to be mauled. She clenched her eyes shut waiting for the pain but it never came and when she opened her eyes she was staring instead into the most beautiful green eyes she had ever seen.


	2. Tarzan Meet Jane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke meets her rescuer and finds herself instantly smitten. Lexa struggles to remember how to speak English.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Portugese Translation
> 
> Você fala português - Do you speak Portugese?

Clarke didn't try to move, gazing up at the goddess who had just saved her life. She hovered over Clarke, peeking up a little to see if the jaguar was still there and then lowered her head to avoid being detected. She was right on top of Clarke, wearing only the most minimal of fabric to cover her private parts and breasts. She snarled and then produced a dagger in her right hand that looked as if it had been carved out of bone. She gripped it ferociously and then lifted her head up and growled back at the jaguar, face to face with the beast, warning it that she was not an easy prey.

The jaguar sniffed the air and then seemed to ease off and slinked away as if it had lost interest but the woman remained with her dagger raised.

"Thank you," Clarke said.

The woman looked at her and Clarke felt herself swooning just from a single glance at the woman. She wasn't just beautiful, she was a goddess. Tanned skin, braided brown hair, long, muscled limbs and then those eyes... oh those eyes. Clarke's mouth became very dry and she swallowed trying to regain her senses.

"I'm Clarke," she said.

The woman lowered the dagger and sat back with her legs under her, her eyes flickering over Clarke's body as Clarke slowly sat up. She looked at her curiously, as if she had never even seen another human and reached forward to touch Clarke's hair. Clarke wasn't sure how to react but then Lexa started sniffing along the side of her neck and she jumped back.

"Er... do you speak English? Um você fala português?"

The woman just gazed at her blankly as if she didn't understand a single word she said. She looked down at Clarke's chest instead and began to reach forward. Clarke pushed away her hand with a yell.

"Hey. No!"

"No," Lexa repeated.

"So you do speak English. Who are you?"

"No," she repeated again. "No, no. No remember... no English."

Clarke frowned.

"You don't remember?"

She glanced up at the woman with deep compassion.

"What the hell happened to you? Who are you?"

The woman tilted her head and Clarke knew that she would have to work harder to make her understand.

"You?" she asked pointing to the woman.

The woman pointed back at herself.

"Lexa," she said.

"Lexa?" Clarke said in surprise. "That's your name?"

The woman blinked and then nodded slowly.

"Clarke," Clarke told her, pointing back at herself.

She took Lexa's hand and pointed it towards herself.

"I'm Clarke," she repeated.

"Clarke," Lexa said firmly.

Clarke smiled, her heart warming at Lexa's determined expression. Something suddenly changed in it and she begain to reach for Clarke's breasts again, clearly fascinated.

"No," she said, firmly shoving away her hand.

Lexa frowned as if frustrated and tried again.

"No," Clarke emphasised, almost laughing now.

She pointed at Lexa's nose.

"No," she repeated.

Lexa tried to grab her finger and Clarke started laughing as the brunette chased it, not averse to climbing over Clarke to try and get hold of it. Clarke gave in and let her grab her hand and Lexa placed it in her lap to study it. She turned it over several times, brushing her fingers over Clarke's palm as if to see how it felt.

"Sss-soft?" Lexa said, clearly not sure if she was remembering the right word.

"Yes soft," Clarke told her. "Thank you."

She pulled her hand back and Lexa pressed her lips together almost in a pout.

"We need to take you back to camp. Find out who you are and get you help."

Lexa turned her head sharply, looking off into the distance as if she had heard something. Clarke turned to see what it was and saw Raven coming towards them.

"Oh it's just-"

Clarke stopped talking when she found that Lexa was gone. She glanced around, turning in a circle on the ground but the woman was gone and strangely Clarke felt her absence already.


	3. Earth to Clarke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke finds herself daydreaming about Lexa, wishing she could see her again and begins to question if it was all a heat-fuelled dream after Raven doubts her.
> 
> Lexa follows Clarke and Raven to investigate them further.

Clarke's head was swimming. Her body felt as if she were floating.

"Earth to Clarke. Come in Clarke."

The blonde shook her head. It had been days since she'd seen the mysterious woman. When she'd told Raven she hadn't believed her. It was too farfetched. A jaguar and a jungle woman and yet Clarke could not stop thinking about it.

She floated about in a dream, helping her parents around the camp.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"I said, do you want to go to the site today?"

"Yes," Clarke said without even thinking.

It was another chance to see Lexa again. Maybe she would see her there. Raven had given her a lecture about being there alone and how dangerous it was out there for her. Clarke had promised to wait until she could go with her to go again and truth be told, she wanted Raven to see her too so that she knew for sure she hadn't just dreamed her up.

"Well I'm ready when you are so get your head out of the clouds and get your ass in gear."

Clarke grabbed her smaller pack, that she carried with her for day trips and followed Raven deep into the jungle.

"Just so you know, you aren't the first person to dream up a mythical hot woman in these parts."

Clarke, who was walking just behind Raven perked up.

"No? Who is she?"

Raven turned, holding her trusty machete and gave her a long look.

"No one Clarke. You imagined her. It happens quite a lot in this heat. There's even a legend around it. The Legend of the Nightblood."

"Tell me," Clarke urged, skipping to Raven's side as she pushed on ahead.

Raven carried on moving, scanning the environment around her for markers.

"They say she lives alone in the jungle, born into it and was raised by wild cats."

"Jaguars?" Clarke asked.

"Maybe but given how solitary they are it doesn't seem likely. It's just a myth anyway. Well as I was saying, the people say she is fast and strong and can kill a man with her bare hands. They say she appears like a ghost in the jungle, watching over the land like a protective spirit."

Clarke listened in fascination, too many questions in her mind at once.

"How long have people been seeing her? Where did she come from? Does anyone know who she is?"

Raven stopped her, hearing something, holding Clarke back as she evaluated the danger.

"What?" Clarke whispered.

"Nothing. Thought I heard something. Anyway she doesn't exist. People make up all sorts of wild stories around here, especially the tourists. Most likely saw a member of some uncontacted tribe picking berries for their lunch."

Clarke would have agreed had she not seen Lexa herself.

  
Lexa crept along the treetops as silent as a snake, following the two women through the jungle. As soon as she'd heard the voices she'd recognised them and she wanted to get another glimpse of the beautiful blonde woman again.

She dropped down behind them without a sound, moving through the undergrowth. A small lizard scuttled out a few feet away and she watched the dark haired one stop and check her surroundings. Lexa saw the blade in her hand and growled under her breath.

_Clarke_ she thought. _Clarke back._

Lexa crept on all fours, using the trees for cover, pressing her back to the trunks to conceal herself each time before moving forward.

She saw Clarke look back over her shoulder as the two of them reached the ruins. The young woman seemed to be searching the jungle for something and Lexa peeked up over the grasses just enough to see those azure eyes glistening in the sun. Lexa swallowed, desiring something, feeling hungry even though she had eaten plenty that day. She craned to see her a bit better but darted down the second Clarke looked in her directions.

"Clarke," she whispered as if to remind herself of the word.

She remembered the woman's scent, how sweet it was, how soft she was to touch. Lexa wanted to be near to her again but her instinct for survival was strong and she had seen the terrible weapons the people brought to the jungle.

  
"See, no mystery woman," Raven said loudly, spinning around with her arms out as of to emphasise her point.

Clarke barely looked up from her sketchpad, deeply disappointed.

"Why do they call her the nightblood?" Clarke asked curiously.

"They say she bleeds black and that it's what gives her superhuman strength but it sounds a little farfetched to me."

Clarke wondered just how much of the legend was myth and how much was truth. She would love to learn more about Lexa. She put down her favourite pencil on the wall and took a drink from her canteen, the heat of the jungle almost too much to bear.

"You're probably right," she said, wiping the excess water from her mouth. "It was probably the heat."

"It was," Raven said, leaning over Clarke on the wall pointing the machete at her. "Don't you think I would have seen her if she existed? I trek through here all the time."

Clarke tried not to let her disappointment show but she was beginning to wonder herself if she hadn't dreamed Lexa. Raven leaned in, gesturing with her blade.

"So you can just stop dreaming about hot, half-naked jungle women that don't exi- argh!"

In a split second Raven was flat on her back, the machete flung aside, Lexa on top of her snarling and baring her teeth.

"Lexa," Clarke gasped breathlessly.

The wild woman glanced at her and their eyes met and Clarke was looking into those emerald eyes again.

Oh those eyes. Clarke had never felt so excited in all of her life. It was like Lexa's soul was staring right at her through them.

"What the-? Get the hell off a me!" Raven protested.

Lexa swung her head back and snarled at her, baring her teeth, a threatening growl emitting from her throat. Clarke blinked and realised that Lexa must've thought Raven was attacking her.

"Hey, hey. Lexa. She's a friend."

Clarke touched Lexa's arm and tried to guide her away. She tapped Raven and repeated the word.

"Friend. See?"

Clarke pointed to herself and Raven.

"Friends."

Lexa pointed to herself and Clarke tilting her head.

"Friends?" she asked.

Clarke smiled, feeling almost giddy in Lexa's presence.

"If you want to be," she said, her smile growing.

Lexa glanced down at her lips and carefully pressed her fingers to them and Clarke could barely breath with the proximity to her.

"Clarke and Lexa friends?"

"Yes," Clarke said, her voice almost a whisper.

Raven sat up slowly and watched the two of them with narrowed eyes.

"Holy shit. You weren't kidding when you said she was hot!"

Lexa frowned at the last word, puzzled by it.

"What should we do?" Clarke asked. "Should we take her to get checked out? What is she even doing out here?"

"We'll ask your mom to look at her and decide from there. Either way we can't leave her here."

Clarke took Lexa by the arm, leaning in close.

"Lexa? Do you want to come with us? Back to camp?"

Clarke pointed in the direction of her camp not even knowing how much Lexa understood her words.

She tugged Lexa's arm lightly and guided her back along the path, nodding back at Raven.

Several minutes later they were almost there, Clarke slowly coaxing Lexa, who seemed more fascinated in Clarke herself than where they were going. She was touching her hair, her face and her lips as they walked.

"Good, we're nearly there, Lexa. Almost home."

They were in sight of the camp when Lexa realised where they were leading her. She whined and pulled away.

"No," she muttered. "No people. People no see Lexa."

"It'll be okay," Clarke told her in a calming voice. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

Lexa looked into Clarke's eyes with her mouth open and then frowned, pressing her lips together as if she didn't like the idea.

"What's wrong?" Clarke asked softly. "No one will hurt you. It's safe."

Lexa's eyes flickered down to her lips and back up to her Clarke's eyes. She shook her head slowly and slipped out of Clarke's grasp and leapt up into the trees.

"Wait!" Clarke called, reaching out.

But it was too late, Lexa had disappeared and Clarke had lost her a second time.

"I guess she really didn't want to come with us," Raven said, raising an eyebrow.

"She was just scared," Clarke said. "She must have learned to avoid people to survive."

"Either way she's long gone now. Guess that's the end of it."

"Yeah."

Raven patted her on the shoulder as Clarke just gazed out into the jungle yearning for Lexa to come back to her.


	4. Curiosity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke becomes aware that Lexa is watching her movements. Abby pushes for her daughter to settle down and talks about Finn while Lexa takes Clarke on a trip.

"Hey honey. How are you?"

Clarke didn't even hear her dad and instead walked straight into her tent to be alone with her sullen mood.

"What's with her?" he asked his wife, who was studying the samples she'd collected.

"I've no idea. Maybe the heat is getting to her."

Jake Griffin just frowned, convinced that it was something more.

  
Clarke threw herself back on her sleeping bag, lying down with a sigh. She put her hands behind her head, frustrated and tired. A few minutes later she dozed off and slept for several hours.

When she woke it was night time and she stretched and got up. Clarke reached for her sketchpad thinking she might try to capture Lexa's image but she couldn't find her favourite pencil. She pulled her smaller pack up on the sleeping bag and searched through it but couldn't find it. Clarke realised suddenly that she'd forgotten it and cursed herself. She'd gotten so distracted with Lexa she'd left it on the wall.

"Dammit," she cursed putting the pack down with a sigh.

"Hey Griff. Dinner's ready. Get out here!"

It was Raven's voice. Clarke called back that she was coming and left her things in the tent as she headed out for her meal.

It wasn't until she reentered the tent some time late that she noticed then pencil sitting on her sketchpad. Clarke frowned and picked it up, wondering how it could have gotten there and then she smiled broadly.

"Lexa," she muttered.

The brunette must have brought it back for her. Clarke couldn't stop smiling at the gesture. It was such a sweet gesture and so very like Lexa.

  
The next morning Clarke stepped under the camp shower with a towel wrapped around her and just a bikini underneath. She turned on the device, let the towel drop and began to let the water drip down her body. She craned her head back letting the water soak her hair and neck.

Clarke suddenly heard a thump in the distance as if someone had tripped and smirked, knowing exactly who it was. She turned in the direction of the sound and pushed her wet hair back with her hands, closing her eyes. She opened one eye peaking and saw just Lexa's eyes peering over the undergrowth. Lexa darted back into hiding the second she realised that Clarke had seen her.

Clarke grinned and turned away, singing to herself cheerfully as she washed her hair and body. She glanced over her shoulder and caught Lexa right in the act this time, meeting her eyes directly. Lexa leapt back down into hiding in alarm.

Clarke chuckled and turned off the shower, drying herself with a towel well aware that Lexa was still following her as she walked back to get breakfast with the others.

  
Lexa grabbed a vine and clamboured up into the trees, as Clarke moved out of sight. She felt giddy with delight as she swung through the trees and headed back to her treehouse. She landed on the wooden platform with a thud and examined the picture she had taken from Clarke's sketchbook. It was of Lexa herself, facing down a jaguar. Lexa studied it smiling broadly. She hadn't meant to spy on Clarke but she had been curious about the camp and the strange things in it. She had caught Clarke showering by accident and had been unable to move once the towel dropped, her eyes transfixed on her beautiful curves.

She had found herself leaning forward, the sun glistening against Clarke's pale skin. She had become so distracted she had leaned too far and slipped from the rock she had been perched on.

Lexa ran her fingers over the paper gently.

"Clarke," she whispered to herself.

  
"What's with you?" Jake asked her daughter as they ate breakfast.

Clarke had been so busy daydreaming she hadn't realised how much she was smiling like a lovesick idiot.

"What? Just having a good day."

Raven grinned at her silently, guessing exactly who Clarke was thinking about. Clarke met her eyes and shook her head and neither of them said a word about Lexa to the others.

"Finn must be missing you by now," Abby said. "He was talking about you nonstop the last time I saw him. Seemed very eager to get back to you. When are you going to stop playing hard to get and get married already? He won't wait forever."

Clarke spluttered at her words, almost choking on her food.

"Finn Collins?" she replied.

"Who else would I mean?" Abby said. "The Collins are very wealthy Raven. They run one of the grandest estates in the state. You should see the size of his house!"

Clarke bit her lip. She'd hoped she'd finally gotten away from the jerk. He seemed convinced they were still dating even though she had told him repeatedly that they weren't.

"Are you sure you don't want to give him another chance?" Abby asked. "He seems such a gentleman."

"Around you he does," Clarke scoffed. "He was trying to impress you. Wait until you see the true Finn. You'll change your mind. He's an ass."

She could see her dad trying not to grin.

"Are you single Raven?" Abby asked.

Clarke shot an alarmed look at her mom.

"Mom!"

"I was only asking Clarke. I'm beginning to give up hope of you ever settling down since you keep flying in the opposite direction from every person who even tries to date you."

Raven was trying hard to stifle a laugh as Clarke's cheeks flushed red.

"Nope," she said. "Free as a bird. Don't think Clarke wants to date me though."

Abby chuckled.

"Oh no no. Why would she date a woman? I was making conversation so I could ask about your family and if you had any brothers for her."

Clarke blushed and caught Raven's gaze, silently communicating with her not to say anything. Her and Raven had both talked about their sexuality, both of them bisexual but her mom was still in denial, hoping she would settle down with Finn and Clarke did not want another awkward discussion about it.

"No brothers. Only child," Raven replied.

Clarke felt a sense of relief as she realised that Raven was not going to say anything about it.

"Shame. I guess when we get back to America, you'll have to keep looking for a suitor Clarke."

"I'm going to go and do some work. Breakfast was great."

Clarke made her excuses and got away from the conversation as fast as she could. She strode out into the jungle, needing a breather from her mom's overbearing style of parenting. She exhaled, putting a hand to her forehead and then heard a thud behind her.

"Lexa," she exclaimed turning.

The brunette suddenly wrapped an arm around her and Clarke didn't know what to do.

"Clarke go with Lexa. See Lexa's home?"

Clarke just nodded, unable to form words as Lexa pulled her to her body. Lexa picked her up off the ground as if she was nothing and then leapt and swung from vine to vine. Clarke buried her head in Lexa's shoulder, not daring to look down as they swung higher and higher. After she realised that Lexa was not going to drop her it was exhilarating and she lifted her head, watching Lexa's face in wonder as she moved effortlessly through the jungle.

When they reached the treehouse, Clarke felt her feet touch the wooden planks and Lexa loosen her grip as she placed her down gently.

"Lexa's home," she said, waiting for Clarke's reaction.

Clarke's heart was pounding so fast she didn't even know where to start. She refocussed herself and glanced around the treehouse which was overgrown with vines and scattered with relics of another time.

"You live here?" Clarke said. "Alone?"

Lexa nodded, watching Clarke's movements in anticipation of her response.

"Yes. Parents gone."

Clarke noticed a picture suddenly, an older man and woman holding hands with a young Lexa. She couldn't have been much more than four or five years old.

"What happened to them?"

Lexa pointed to the jungle.

"People. Guns. Lexa hidden here."

Clarke traced the picture and then noticed her own sketch in amongst a handful of trinkets. Clarke picked it up and smiled at Lexa.

"I guess you liked the picture huh? Thank you for bringing my pencil back by the way."

Lexa smiled as Clarke moved around the treehouse studying the objects there. Mostly it was was remnants of Lexa's parents and their life there. Pictures, notes about their research.

"They were trying to find a cure for malaria," Clarke said with a frown. "My mom could really use these notes. They're incredibly advanced. So you've been here alone all this time?"

Lexa frowned.

"Not alone. Onca here."

"Onca? Who is Onca?"

Lexa made a sound, almost between a growl and a huff and a sleek black and yellow jaguar leapt into the treehouse. Clarke froze with terror, scrambling back. Lexa smiled and reached out to stroke the jaguar as if it were a pet and not a wild predator. She hugged the beast and scratched its ears.

"Onca not dangerous. Not like Baya. He attack you not Onca. He bad tempered. Onca nice. Onca and Lexa friends."

"I'll take your word for it."

Lexa edged over to Clarke and took her hand and placed it onto Onca's head. Clarke was shaking, and not just from how petrified she was of the jaguar. Lexa was leaning over her from behind, her breath on Clarke's neck.

"See," Lexa said joyfully. "Onca friend."

The jaguar purred and Clarke flinched but Lexa seemed absolutely comfortable and rolled Onca over to scratch under her chin, the jaguar completely pliant in Lexa's strong embrace. Clarke thought she understood the sentiment. She was terrified in her presence and yet excited at the same time.

Onca got to her feet and slinked away after a few seconds, her tail flicking as she leapt down from the treehouse and Lexa and Clarke sat alone on the floor now, just a few inches between them.

"Lexa?" Clarke asked, "why wouldn't you come back to camp with me and Raven? We have food and tents and we could find out if you have any family left."

Lexa frowned.

"People shoot Lexa's mother."

"I know but-"

Lexa shook her head, pointing towards Onca.

"Not birth mother, mother who raise me."

Clarke's eyes widened. So it was true. She had been raised by a wild creature.

"Another jaguar like Onca? They killed her."

"People fear her. People kill what they fear. People will fear Lexa."

Clarke swallowed, a lump forming in her throat. It would be easy to see Lexa as primitive because of the way she spoke and the way she lived but she seemed just as emotionally and mentally mature as anyone her age, in some ways even more so.

"I wouldn't let them hurt you," Clarke said softly. "I would protect you."

Lexa laughed suddenly and her laugh was musical.

"Clarke protect Lexa? Clarke is soft. Lexa is strong. Clarke could not even fight Baya. Lexa beat him easy many times."

Clarke didn't know whether to be offended or amused that Lexa did not see her as capable of defending herself.

"Hey, I'm strong," Clarke exclaimed.

Lexa put her forefinger to Clarke's temple and then placed her palm flat on Clarke's heart.

"Clarke strong here and here. Lexa not mean offend but Clarke not fight like Lexa. Lexa knows Clarke is strong."

Clarke felt all breath being drawn from her as Lexa stared into her eyes. She sighed deeply, unable to tear her gaze from those full lips wondering what on Earth was happening to her. She felt dizzy, intoxicated.

"Lexa should not watch Clarke wash," Lexa said in a low voice as if embarrassed. "Not mean to watch but Clarke beautiful."

Clarke's eyelashes fluttered as she blinked rapidly unable to look away. She would have loved nothing more than to reach in and kiss Lexa but she knew that she had to take care. Lexa was vulnerable. She might not even understand what Clarke intended if she kissed her and Clarke felt deeply protective of her and wanted to make sure no one took advantage of Lexa, no matter how much she herself wanted to.

Clarke just reached for her hand and held it.

"It's okay. I forgive you. Lexa is beautiful too. "

Lexa smiled broadly and Clarke thought she was a goner right there and then by how it stopped her heart.


	5. Too Soon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke gets closer to Lexa but their quality time is interrupted by the arrival of Finn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigedasleng Translation
> 
> Reshop - Rest up/ goodnight

Clarke went to sleep that night dreaming of Lexa's tanned arms around her and green eyes gazing into her own. She woke looking forward to seeing Lexa again, having no doubt that the woman would seek her out again and every day she came to Clarke when she was alone and they talked. Clarke began taking things to show Lexa. Simple things like a chocolate bar she had packed and her music player and the photos she had on her phone.

Lexa was always curious, always interested and Clarke could have spent hours just watching her studying the objects, content just to be in her presence. She tried to convince Lexa once or twice to come back to camp with her but after she refused again, Clarke didn't want to push her to do something she was uncomfortable with and let go of the idea altogether.

Instead she focussed on seeing how much Lexa could remember and writing words on her sketchpad. Lexa had learned to read it seemed but had just forgotten and Clarke found that she learned very quickly.

"See. This is your name. Lexa."

"How do you write your name?" Lexa asked, leaning over the pad, their shoulders touching.

Clarke smiled at her and scribbled her name.

"Clarke Griffin. That's my name."

Lexa copied the words and then wrote her own name and circled the two names with a loveheart. She looked up at Clarke with a smile as if pleased with herself.

"Lexa and Clarke together now," she said with a smirk, pointing to what she had done.

Clarke had gotten the hang of Lexa's humour by now and knew that she was teasing.

"Haha very funny. It's a shame we don't know your last name."

Lexa began to scribble on the page.

"Woods," she muttered.

"What?" Clarke asked, not quite sure she has heard right.

Lexa moved her hand and showed that she had added the word after her name.

"Lexa Woods?" Clarke said. "That's your name."

Lexa blinked and nodded. Clarke frowned. Why did the name Woods sound so familiar to her? She was sure the name meant something to her.

"Clarke Woods sound better," Lexa joked.

Clarke shoved her playfully.

"Stop it. You're ridiculous."

Lexa smirked and then reached for another one of the snacks Clarke had brought her. It was a thin oatmeal bar. She opened the packet, took a bite and started chewing happily.

"Clarke! Clarke!"

"It's Raven," Clarke said, looking up from her pad.

When she turned, Lexa was already gone of course. Clarke had grown used to her ability to disappear in an instant.

"I'm here Rae," she called out, packing her things away.

Raven appeared, a warning look on her face and then Finn, with his familiar floppy black hair appeared from behind her and rushed to hug her.

"Clarke! I was so worried about you. You don't write. You don't call. How am I supposed to find you?"

Clarke patted his back awkwardly, rolling her eyes as he hugged her fiercly.

"Well clearly you managed," she said dryly.

Finn cupped her face and Clarke pulled back.

"What are you doing here Finn?"

"What? I can't visit my fiancee?"

"Not engaged Finn. I said no remember. Three times."

Finn carried on as if he hadn't even heard her.

"I mean we have a lot to plan and anything could have happened to you out here with these uncivilised people."

Raven glared at him, deeply offended at what he was implying.

"They're not-" Clarke started.

"I mean I can help you discover some uncontacted tribe. They could be named after me. The Collins tribe."

Raven looked deeply disgusted now.

"We don't have contact with them for a reason. A common cold could kill a tribe that has lived in isolation. They won't have the immunity."

"Clarke, that's silly. The common cold. They're warriors and you think they can be killed by a cold."

Clarke tilted her head, growing impatient with him already.

"We should return to camp. Get you out of danger."

"I was perfectly safe. I know the area well by now and-"

"This way Clarke. I'll protect you."

"It's actually over that way."

Finn acted as if he knew that already and Clarke looked at Raven helplessly.

  
A few hours later and Clarke was by the campfire, annoyed and bored as Finn bragged to everyone in the camp about 'wrestling an alligator in Australia'. Indra, the camp linguistic expert clearly couldn't abide him at all. Her dad was polite but Clarke could tell that he didn't like him and her mom listened attentively.

"Oh my God. Is he for real?" Raven said, sitting down beside her at the campfire. "He spent ten minutes trying to talk to Gustus in French. He speaks English and Portugese."

"He's an idiot," Clarke said. "I came here to get away from him. The guy can't take a hint."

"I get it," Raven said. "All the money in the world couldn't make me marry that jerk. He was trying to teach Lincoln what a lighter was until I told him Lincoln was an intern from Washington D.C."

Clarke shook her head, poking at the fire with a stick.

"So how goes it with the wild woman?" Raven asked. "I take it that's why you were out there."

Clarke shot a look at her, not sure how much to tell her but decided she needed to tell someone.

"Okay," she said in a low voice, "so I have been meeting up with Lexa and-"

"Having hot jungle sex! Go Griffin!"

Clarke hushed her, glancing around.

"No! I would never take advantage of her like that. Lexa and I have just been talking. I've been finding out more about her. She's fascinating."

Raven gave her a knowing look.

"Fascinating yeah... I'm sure that's why you're hanging out with the jungle goddess. Nothing to do with her being a total babe."

Clarke couldn't deny she was attracted to Lexa. Just the thought of her made her swoon and she'd had more fantasies about Lexa than was psychologically healthy.

"Raven be serious. You know it's not that simple."

"Hell yeah it is. You like her. She likes you. She was practically fawning all over you and she attacked me to defend you. She's totally into you too."

Clarke shook her head.

"She's vulnerable. She doesn't seem like it but she is. It wouldn't be right."

"Whatever you say Griffin. But all I know is you've been floating around the camp on a high since you met her. Are you really going to tell me that you don't have the hots for her?"

Clarke looked at her, her lower lip jutting out but didn't reply. She couldn't deny Raven's words much as she wanted to. Lexa meant a lot to her already and she wasn't even sure why. Clarke had never believed in love at first sight and she wasn't about to start now but she couldn't deny how her heart skipped with joy everytime Lexa appeared to her.

  
Lexa had watched Clarke leave with the man they called Finn and Raven, deciding immediately that she did not like him at all. She had growled under her breath as he hugged her, a deep jealousy flooding through her.

He was loud and obnoxious and never listened to a word Clarke said. He seemed to act as if she were his but she saw how Clarke pulled away from his touch as if she loathed it. It infuriated her and she felt a greater desire than ever to stake her claim as the stronger mate for Clarke. She would prove to Clarke that she was better than him.

Lexa waited until Clarke went to her tent and everyone settled down for the evening, and dropped down and sneaked into her sleeping area. Clarke was in her sleeping bag, lying on one side. Lexa crept over on all fours until she was face to face with Clarke.

Clarke opened her eyes as if sensing her, her eyes wide with alarm.

"Lexa?" she whispered in a deep voice.

"Clarke need rescue from Finn?" Lexa asked in concern.

Clarke sat up, moving back a little.

"No Lexa. I'm not in danger but thank you."

"Don't like Finn," Lexa said. "Lexa better for Clarke."

Clarke blinked, her heart beating fast now. She held her sleeping bag against her chest wondering if her pulse would ever stop racing in Lexa's presence.

"Lexa... I know you are. I don't want Finn but we don't even know if you have family out there. You've been living out here away from people all this time. You need to know who you are before we can - before we can even consider that."

Lexa took Clarke's hand and held it.

"Will Clarke consider after that?"

"Maybe," Clarke said. "If you are ready then but for now we're friends."

Lexa smiled as if that was enough for her.

"Lexa will think about meeting camp, finding family. Clarke and Lexa friends."

She held Clarke's hand and brought it to her own chest and Clarke thought she was going to cave and kiss her. She felt like she was falling too fast. It was much too fast. She didn't even understand what she felt for Lexa, only that she was important to her and wanted to keep her safe.

"Lexa let Clarke sleep. Reshop."

Clarke smiled. Lexa sometimes slipped into a broken form of English that was a unique language all on its own. Clarke had learned to understand it quickly but to someone else it would sound like a different language all together.

"Reshop, Lexa," she replied.

Lexa crawled out of the tent and was gone in an instant, leaving Clarke staring after her. She exhaled and lay back down, her head swimming and her body tingling all over.


	6. Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa saves Clarke from a dull day with Finn and makes a decision about meeting the camp

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi so I'm currently taking a break because I was stressed and tired and needed a rest so I don't know how frequently I'll be updating.

Lexa was unsure of what choice to make. She loved the jungle. It was all she knew but she needed to know where she came from and who she was and Clarke seemed to think she might have family out there.

She traced her thumb over the image of her parents and placed it back down. She had made her decision.

  
"Finn, we don't need an escort. Raven and I have been managing quite fine out here already."

"Nonsense, it's dangerous out here."

Clarke had hoped to see Lexa again that day but Finn had been following her everywhere. In the distance they suddenly heard a loud growl and Finn grabbed his gun and pointed it towards the sound. When his back was turned Lexa swung down and swiped Clarke in her arms and swung her away.

Lexa let her down when they were much further away, settling her on a thick tree branch. Clarke wobbled and hugged the trunk, afraid to look down while Lexa crawled easily along the branches.

"Clarke not fall. Lexa will catch."

They were much higher up than Clarke was comfortable with but she trusted Lexa when she held out her hand.

"Follow Lexa," she said. "Secret place."

Clarke took her hand as Lexa guided her along the branches. She led her to a rocky ledge behind a waterfall, hidden well out of sight.

Lexa didn't let go but guided her to sit down on the rocky floor with her. They sat face to face crosslegged.

"Much as I'm glad to get away from Finn, why did you bring me here?"

Lexa smiled at her.

"Lexa think about Clarke's words. Will go back with you and find family but need Clarke to teach Lexa."

Clarke raised her eyebrows leaning forward.

"You want me to teach you? Teach you what?"

"How to be like your people."

Clarke blinked.

"Oh that. Sure. I'll teach you. Did you want to come back to camp tonight."

Lexa turned her head with a frown and Clarke thought she saw fear in her eyes.

"Hey," Clarke said, touching her knee gently. "I'll be there with you. You won't be alone."

Lexa looked down at the hand on her knee and sighed deeply.

"Okay. Lexa trust Clarke but jungle will always be in here."

Lexa gestured to her heart and Clarke understood. She was saying that a part of her would always be wild and that nothing would change that. Clarke nodded.

"Lexa have present for Clarke."

Clarke smiled, pleasantly surprised. Lexa reached behind her back and produced a large reddish-pink orchid she had picked and handed it to Clarke.

"Thank you. It's beautiful," Clarke said, taking it from Lexa.

"Clarke is beautiful," Lexa said softly, brushing back Clarke's hair from her face as it fell forward.

Clarke blushed suddenly, feeling an overwhelming desire for Lexa, who lips were but inches from her own. The brunette was gazing into her eyes deeply, focussed entirely on Clarke. She exhaled and leaned in quickly, pressing her lips onto Clarke's, catching them in her own. Clarke was surprised at first, not expecting the kiss but then she slowly sank into it, swept away with the sweetness of it. Lexa kissed her delicately, Clarke kissing her back before she could think about what she was doing. Lexa tilted her head and deepened the kiss, spurred on by Clarke's response and Clarke surged up to kiss her back, losing herself in the moment but then something in the back of her mind warned her to stop.

"I can't," Clarke said, pulling back with closed eyes.

She desperately hoped that she hadn't upset Lexa. She should've known better but she'd kissed her back before she even knew what she was thinking, her lips tasting so sweet.

When she opened her eyes, Lexa was gazing at her as if shocked by the experience. Clarke gazed up into her eyes, trying not to look at Lexa's tempting lips but failing for a split second.

"Not yet," Clarke said, biting her lower lip gently.

She saw a hunger in Lexa's eyes, something of the animal part of her glinting but Lexa pressed her lips together as if to stop herself. She put her hands on either side of Clarke's face and Clarke thought right then that if Lexa kept looking at her like she was, she would give her anything she wanted.

"Lexa will wait for Clarke," she murmoured.

_God help me_ Clarke thought desperately. _That was some kiss but we can't do this now._

"Lexa ready to meet your people," Lexa said, letting her hands drop by her sides.

Clarke nodded and turned her head as Lexa got to her feet. She exhaled, closing her eyes for a second to snap herself out of it and then Lexa held out her hand and guided Clarke back out into the jungle.

  
Lexa was quiet as she swung with Clarke through the trees, Clarke well aware of the effect the proximity of Lexa's body was having on her own. She landed silently on the ground, letting Clarke down and Clarke realised that they were but a few feet from their camp.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Clarke asked softly. "You can always change your mind."

Lexa turned her head sideways towards Clarke and took her hand.

"Lexa is sure. Now is time."

Clarke took a breath and walked with Lexa into her camp the flower still in her other hand. She noticed Lexa tilting her head fearfully as they entered, listening to her surroundings.

"Oh God Clarke!"

Finn greeted her immediately wrapping his arms around her and Lexa growled and bared her teeth.

"I thought you had been attacked by a wild animal. I was scouring the jungle for you."

"You mean _I_ was scouring the jungle," Raven snapped, glaring at him intensely. "He just sat on his ass and waited for you to come back."

Clarke was very aware that everyone was gathering around them, all staring at Lexa and making her uncomfortable.

"Clarke honey, who is this?"

Clarke glanced at her mom who was clearly confused by the wild woman she was still holding hands with. She could see her mom's lips twitch uncomfortably as she looked between the flower in Clarke's hand and Lexa, reading between the lines almost immediately.

"This is Lexa," Clarke said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "She needs our help."

Indra came closer, curious about the woman.

"She looks as if she has been out here a long time. Who is she?"

"Did she kidnap you Clarke?" Finn asked suddenly reaching for his hunting rifle. "Did she hurt you?"

Lexa growled and leapt on him like a cat, grabbing the gun and tossing it aside. Finn struggled but Lexa growled at him, her dagger in her hand in an instant.

"Lexa!" Clarke exclaimed, sensing that the rest of the camp were ready to attack her.

Clarke tugged Lexa's arm, pulling her back.

"He have gun," Lexa protested, meeting Clarke eye to eye.

"I know but he was just scared. He won't use it."

Clarke saw her dad edge forward and pick up the weapon slowly, keeping his hands up.

"See we're putting it away. No guns."

Lexa scowled down at Finn who was on his back in the dirt, as wide eyed as a frightened rabbit.

"No guns," she said in a commanding voice.

Finn put up his hands and Raven chuckled a little to herself as she leaned casually against a tree.

"Mom," Clarke said. "Lexa needs checking over. She seems healthy but we should make sure. I'll have to be there with her."

Abby narrowed her eyes at her daughter, wary of the tanned woman, wearing barely any clothing, that Clarke seemed to be awfully protective of. Her medical instincts took over and she told Clarke to bring her into the medical tent for tests.

Clarke guided Lexa to follow her, well aware of the way everyone was looking at them. They feared her. Lexa did look wild but she hadn't thought they would actually be scared. They kept their distance, everyone uneasy with her presence and Clarke only hoped that she hadn't made a massive mistake.

  
Abby watched as Clarke held Lexa's hand and explained to her why she had to take some blood. She had seen for herself that Clarke really wasn't interested in Finn and she would never push her daughter into a relationship she didn't want but something unnerved her about they way Clarke was talking to Lexa and how Lexa was looking at her.

She clearly needed their help. The woman had some scars but was in excellent shape considering what Clarke had told her about how she was raised but when she drew some blood from her and the vial was pure black, Abby gasped.

"It's black," Abby said in astonishment.

The medical researcher in her was fascinated immediately. Lexa should not have even survived with such a colour blood.

"It's true then," Clarke said. "Raven said their were stories about her. They called her the Nightblood. Said it made her stronger, faster."

"I don't know about that," Abby said, "but it's certainly unusual."

"I found research notes in the treehouse where her parents were living. We should retrieve them. They were trying to cure Malaria. It could be connected."

Abby put the blood she had taken in a vial and stored it with her other samples.

"I'll run some tests. We can't know anything for sure. She certainly seems healthy enough."

Clarke smiled at Lexa who was rubbing her arm with a frown.

"You not natblida?" Lexa asked her.

"No," Clarke replied, taking a plaster and placing it over her arm. "It's usually red. Lexa's is special."

Lexa smiled at Clarke bashfully, turning her head away as her smile widened. Abby wrote some notes on Lexa's charts, still watching their interactions in the corner of her eye.

"She may still have family? I'll contact Kane and see if he can find out who she is. You said her last name is Woods?"

"That's what she said," Clarke replied.

"Clarke Woods," Lexa teased, nudging Clarke with her elbow.

"You stop that."

Clarke was grinning back at Lexa, like a lovesick schoolgirl and Abby knew right there and then that her instincts were right. She had tried to tell herself that Clarke wasn't really interested in women, that she was just curious but she wasn't a fool. She knew deep down that Clarke was attracted to women and this one in particular.

"She's free to go. Maybe you might want to clean her up a bit if you're planning to take her back to civilisation."

Clarke barely even looked at her, too distracted by taking a scalpel out of Lexa's hands and keeping her from touching all of the medical equipment. Abby wondered just how long Clarke had been keeping this secret from her.

"Good idea. Lexa, put that down. That's not for playing with. I'll give her some of my clothes if they fit."

Abby just glanced away, deep in her own thoughts as her daughter guided Lexa out of the tent by the hand.


	7. Heaven and Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke struggles to keep her attraction for Lexa at bay and Raven teases her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone for your kind comments. I really needed a break. I have a few chapters to post soon but it may not be every day like previously as my 'inspired' period seems to be slowing down now.

Clarke was in hell. Well she was in heaven but it was hell precisely for that reason. Lexa had decided she was sleeping in with Clarke and that wherever she went, she was going to follow. Clarke had gotten into her sleeping bag, having shown Lexa that there was a spare one for her and how to unzip. Lexa had just looked at it, grabbed it to use as a pillow and curled up into Clarke's side with it in her hands and fell asleep.

Clarke tried to sleep but how could she with the warmth of Lexa's body pressing against her own through the sleeping bag, wearing only her own t-shirt which was far too short and loose on Lexa and a small pair of black shorts. She could see Lexa's abs just a few inches away, tanned and smooth, peeking out from under the fabric. Lexa stretched up her arm and Clarke saw the fabric rise even higher and then an arm landed across her body, pulling Clarke closer.

_Great she's a hugger_ Clarke thought. _How I am supposed to rest when she's like this practically in my arms all night?_

Lexa herself was already dozing, a peaceful expression on her face.

Clarke put one hand over her eyes with a groan.

  
It got even worse the next day when Clarke decided to teach Lexa about the shower. The memory of Lexa watching her brought all manner of adult thoughts to her mind and Lexa removed all of her clothes without even a hint of modesty.

"Wh- Lexa!"

Clarke caught a glimpse of firm light brown nipples and supple breasts before she closed her eyes and was having a hard time keeping them shut, the image fixed firmly into her brain. She turned around and then Lexa tapped her on the shoulder.

"You're naked," Clarke said, keeping her eyes closed. "I'm trying to respect your privacy."

"Clarke has funny ideas," Lexa muttered in amusement. "The shower is good."

Clarke had noticed that Lexa was beginning to adapt her language from being around people again, as if it was jogging her memory of how to speak English.

"Yeah well, just tell me once you've put your clothes on and I'll open my eyes again."

Lexa just hummed to herself as she washed.

"Will you sing to me?" Lexa asked. "Lexa remember - er I remember your voice is good. From when you sang in the shower."

"Oh," Clarke said, keeping her eyes closed. "You mean when I was humming in the shower."

"Humming is not singing?"

Clarke smiled, her back still to Lexa.

"Not quite. Humming is like this..."

Clarke hummed a sweet melody for a few seconds.

"Singing is more like la la la la laaa."

"Hmm... Clarke's singing is very nice. Like birds when the sun comes up."

Clarke wondered if she was ever going to be able to spend more than five minutes around Lexa without feeling flushed. Lexa was so sweet and genuine without even trying to be.

  
"Hey Clarke. Oh huh hoh. She is _absolutely_ naked."

"Close your eyes Raven. Don't gawp at her."

Clarke didn't need to have her eyes open to know that's what she was doing.

"Nah ah, I'm good right here. Woah. She is really hot!"

An anger stirred inside Clarke, welling up out of nowhere and she spun around and opened her eyes, turning Raven around and guiding her away.

Lexa just smiled at Raven, completely unaffected.

"She doesn't seem to mind. Why are you so mad?" Raven protested as Clarke pushed her away.

"Because she's vulnerable and it's wrong and she doesn't understand even what hot means!"

Raven pushed her off.

"Okay I get it. Oh man someone's going to have to have the sex talk with her. Want me to do it?"

"No!"

Raven grinned and craned her head to take a peek.

"Raven!"

"Couldn't resist. Oh man if she has family that look even half as good as her, I volunteer to show them around the place."

Clarke guided her away and then returned with a towel, holding it up over her eyes as she edged forward. Lexa grabbed it suddenly and Clarke got a flash of another body part she really shouldn't be looking at. A slick, beautiful, delicious looking part with a dark patch of curly hair. Clarke cursed and closed her eyes and Lexa just smiled.

"I know what sex is Clarke," she said.

Clarke frowned.

"How did you-?"

"My ears are very good. Always have been."

"I didn't want to assume anything. You've been out here for a long time. I mean how could you?"

Lexa pulled on her clothes and told Clarke to open her eyes to find the brunette, fully dressed and freshly washed now.

"Animals are not shy about sex like humans. I see lots of animals mate whether want to see or not. Hear it at night. Lexa never experience it herself but know what it is."

Clarke nodded.

"Why is Clarke-?" Lexa paused. "Why are you shy about seeing me wash. Body is only natural."

Clarke lifted her chin to meet her eyes, more than distracted by the dews of water that dripped down Lexa's skin.

"It's - we're taught not to think of it that way. Our society has rules about that. It is seen as private. I thought you understood that when you said you shouldn't have watched me shower."

"I shouldn't have watched because we were not bonded then. You never give Lexa permission. I give you permission. I trust you."

Clarke blinked, feeling strangely light headed.

"I-I- it makes me uncomfortable," Clarke lied, not able to tell Lexa the real reason.

The truth was that Clarke didn't trust herself around Lexa at all. She desired her so much.

"Okay," Lexa said. "Will not make you uncomfortable again."

Lexa fumbled over her words, speaking slowly and carefully to make sure she was getting them right. She was a remarkably fast learner and Clarke thought that she showed a high level of intelligence.

"Will you teach me?" Lexa asked.

Clarke almost had palpitations right there and then, waiting for Lexa to explain herself.

"How your society works," Lexa continued.

The alarms that had been going off in Clarke's head settled down as she realised that Lexa wasn't asking her to show her how to have sex.

"Of course. We're friends right."

Lexa smiled and nodded.

Anya Woods couldn't believe her eyes when she got the email. It said her cousin was alive. Lexa alive. Her aunt and uncle had disappeared so long ago. She didn't even remember Lexa as anything more than a baby. She had thought herself the last of the Woods family left alive.

"Titus," she called.

The balding, elderly butler appeared looking as sullen as usual. He had been with the family for years but his mood had not improved.

"Prepare the family jet. We need to travel to South America right away."

"I'll make the arrangements ma'am."

Anya picked up her cell phone and immediately rang her lawyer. If Lexa was alive, she would have to claim her inheritance. She would have as much right to the family fortune as she did.

"Do you really think she will have family?" Raven asked, as they ate lunch that day

Clarke who has been busy watching Lexa doing handstands and cartwheels turned her head.

"I don't see why not. Who knows who they really were."

Lexa did a backflip, impressing Lincoln and Indra who were watching her with curiosity. Clarke bit her lower lip trying not to think about the kiss they'd shared. Truth be told she was worried about Lexa's family. What if they wanted to take her away? Clarke hated just the idea of being away from Lexa. Lexa glanced over at Clarke and swung out of sight and then landed back with a thud in front of Clarke. She held out another flower she had picked and Clarke took it with a smile.

"Thank you Lexa."

Clarke was well aware that the whole camp seemed to have noticed that Lexa was overly attached to her. Indra was smirking slightly. Raven just thought it was funny and Finn seemed far more quiet than unusual which was never a good sign. Lexa skipped away and Raven chuckled.

"Jungle woman's really got it bad for you."

Clarke turned her head, trying not to show how not one-sided it was.

"It doesn't matter. Her family are probably going to show up and take her home."


	8. Anya Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anya travels to meet Lexa as Clarke and Lexa spend some time together.

Lexa spent several weeks with Clarke and her camp mates, learning as much as she could about their culture. She found Raven very helpful and funny but that she often said things to Lexa that caused Clarke to scold her. Most of the camp members had grown used to her and she got to spend more time with Clarke.

One day she awoke and found Clarke sketching. She looked so serious that she wrapped her arms around the blonde.

"Lexa? What are you doing?"

Clarke was leaning over her sketchpad, her hair falling over her shoulder.

"Clarke needs a hug."

"Lexa..." Clarke said, turning her head. "You are such a softie."

"I think you _like_ my hugs."

Clarke shook her head but was smiling. Lexa was so attentive and perceptive. She seemed always to know what she needed. She had been feeling a bit out of sorts but that was more to do with Finn's behaviour than Lexa's. He'd been unbearable to be around and still hadn't returned home.

Lexa's arms were so strong and warm around her. Clarke was finding it more and more difficult to keep her at arms length and it wasn't helping that Lexa snuggled up to her each night and Clarke couldn't even relieve some of her sexual frustrations in her sleeping bag at night.

"Alright you got me. We better get up. Raven is away doing some extra work and I need your help being my jungle guide today."

Lexa made a noise and hugged her tighter.

"I will do this for you today."

  
Anya arrived in South America, well out of her depth. She wasn't one for the outdoors. Her entire life had been wearing suits and attending business meetings.

The brunette waiting for her held up a sign with the words Anya Woods on it. She was short with dark brown hair tied back in a ponytail and had big, brown eyes.

"Ms Reyes?" Anya asked with an air of authority.

"That's me. I take it your here for Lexa. They don't even know you're coming. I only got your name when I showed up to do the job today. I coulda let them know."

Anya frowned at her incessant talking. She wasn't used to informal conversation and most employees were too scared of her to even talk to her. Apparently she came off as intimidating.

"Excuse me but I've travelled a long way and I would like to get moving."

Raven glanced over Anya's business suit.

"In that? Do you understand exactly where we're travelling to? Maybe you wanna change first. I can help you pick out some stuff in the local market."

"Market?" Anya queried, a little horrified.

"Or there's the malls."

Anya blinked and then slowly nodded.

"This way then Anya. Can I call you Anya?"

  
Clarke was having the best day of her life. Lexa had shown her many secrets areas in the jungle. Ruined temples, hidden gems. She was growing used to Lexa swinging her through the jungle.

"You like it here," Lexa said.

They were sat together, high up in the treetops, Lexa showing Clarke one of her favourite views. It was the sun going down and it was almost the most beautiful sight Clarke had ever seen.

"It's like a dream," Clarke replied. "I almost don't want to go home."

Lexa reached over and started to stroke a few strands of Clarke's hair.

"Then don't," she said. "Stay with me."

Clarke shot a look at her.

"Your family might want you to move in with them when they get here. They probably won't stay in the jungle with you."

Lexa frowned.

"Why not? This is my home."

"I know but-"

Clarke didn't get a chance to finish her sentence as she heard Raven calling for them to appear. Clarke raised her eyebrows and they stood up as Lexa grabbed a vine. Clarke put her arms around Lexa, the brunette holding her firmly against her body with one arm. It always made Clarke feel a little drunk when they were this close.

Lexa leapt and swung and placed Clarke down on the ground but then swung away out of sight.

"Over here Rae."

Raven was with a woman. An upper class, serious looking woman who seemed way out of her depth in the jungle.

"Where's Lexa?"

Clarke glanced between Anya and Raven apprehensively not wanting anyone to take Lexa away from her.

"She's around," Clarke said. "She doesn't show herself to new people right away. She likes to observe them first, check they're safe."

"I'm Anya Woods, her cousin. I came to see if there's any truth to this tale. It's so unlikely and there is no one else left in my family."

"No one?" Clarke asked curiously.

Something like sadness flickered across Anya's face but she kept a firm demeaner as if not allowing herself to mull over it.

"No," she replied. "I would like to see her."

Clarke knew that Lexa was listening.

"Lexa this is your cousin Anya. She's travelled a long way to see you."

Lexa didn't appear and Clarke gave Anya an uncomfortable sideways glance.

"No one will make you do anything you don't want to do," Clarke called.

Lexa dropped down from the trees, landing on all fours and slowly standing up straight. She walked over to stand by Clarke's side, glancing at the blonde for reassurance.

"It's alright. She's your family."

Lexa moved over to Anya getting right up in her face and then starting to sniff her, alarming the poor woman.

"What is she doing?"

"She can talk," Clarke said dryly. "Why don't you ask her?"

"I am seeing if we smell the same," Lexa said.

Anya pulled away out of her grasp and Lexa narrowed her eyes as she looked into Anya's as if sizing her up.

"You certainly look like your parents," Anya said, "we'll need to have dna test to prove it."

Lexa circled Anya squaring up to her as if to see how she measured up. Then she grabbed Anya's hand and shook it roughly as Clarke had taught her.

"Cousin. Nice to meet you."

Clarke smiled proudly and turned her head.

"I will show you my home," Lexa told Anya. "Clarke and Raven can go back to camp. Anya is safe with me."

Lexa hit her chest with her fist as if to show her strength.

"Okay Lexa," Clarke replied. "We'll let you two catch up."

Anya looked terrified at the prospect of being alone with her wild cousin but Lexa put an arm around her and grabbed a vine and was swinging her away into the jungle before she knew it.


	9. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anya has a discussion with Lexa and worries about Clarke and Lexa's relationship and Abby talks to Indra

Abby watched her daughter's worried frown as she waited for Lexa to return with her cousin. She was acting like she was fine but she knew better. Clarke was not fine. She was smitten. It was becoming more and more obvious by the day.

"Mrs Griffin. What a beautiful sight you are today? Did you talk to Clarke yet?"

Abby glared at Finn, despising the man more and more each day. He couldn't seem to take a hint. Clarke clearly wasn't interested and he had managed to annoy just about everyone in the group.

"No," she said, with a glare. "And I'm not going to. Clarke can make up her own mind who to marry."

Finn started his rambling, false charm again but Abby just said she was busy and walked over to talk to Indra.

"Is he trying to get you to convince Clarke to marry him again?" Indra asked as Abby sat down next to her.

"He never stops. It's like he think she's some prize cow that he can just buy off of us.

Indra shook her head.

"He's a fool. He's lucky he's hasn't gotten lost in the jungle yet. I heard some of his guides talking about leaving him out there to die so that they didn't have to listen to his voice anymore."

Abby smiled at the dark thought.

"Is your daughter married?"

Indra made a noise like a scoff.

"Gaia? Absolutely not. She is too busy with this new age religion she's following. It's not for me but it's what she chooses to do with her life and I must respect that."

Abby swallowed, knowing that she hadn't always been willing to let Clarke go and make her own decisions.

"Very true."

Indra looked straight at Abby as if noticing her difficulty with the situation.

"You cannot change her heart," Indra said in a low voice. "It is clear Clarke and Lexa feel something for each other. It is pointless to fight losing battles and the heart cannot be reasoned with."

Abby met her eyes, an eyebrow quirked up in question.

"So I'm not imagining it?"

"Absolutely not. Lexa is kind and fierce and strong and would give Clarke everything she has. Surely that is the best suitor she could hope for."

She was right. Abby knew that. She saw how Lexa doted on her, how Lexa made her smile more than anyone else and she damn well didn't want Finn Collins for a son in law.

  
"So this is your... home?"

Anya glanced around the treehouse wondering how on earth anyone could live there. It was so small and so wild yet Lexa seemed completely comfortable in her surroundings.

"Yes. Here. I have a picture of them."

Lexa handed Anya the framed photo and Anya took it in her hands. She blinked down at it. They looked just how she remembered and Lexa too.

"So it's true then," she said, fighting back the sadness.

"It's true," Lexa said. "I showed Clarke this and she said I might have family. She helps me learn things."

"What things?" Anya asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lexa was busy pulling out more things for Anya to look at.

"How to talk. I remember English but had not spoken it for a long time. To dress and use a shower and to draw and to shake hands when you first meet someone."

Lexa was listing all sorts of things Clarke had taught her.

"You like Clarke huh? She is good to you."

Lexa smiled broadly.

"Clarke is very special."

Anya thought she had noticed something between the two and was suddenly angry. Lexa was vulnerable and had been lost in the jungle, alone for years. What was Clarke playing at?

"Lexa, has she taken advantage of you? Has she made you uncomfortable?"

Lexa frowned and put a hand on Anya's shoulder.

"Clarke has never made me uncomfortable. I kissed her and she pulled away. She is not ready to be with Lexa but Lexa will wait."

Anya sighed knowing what Lexa was saying. She had made advances and Clarke had done the sensible thing and stopped it. She hated to think that someone was taking advantage of Lexa's naivete.

"Good. That was good of Clarke. She's right. You need to get back to civilisation first, learn who you are."

Lexa moved back her hand.

"Anya. I know family cares for each other but I am not a child. Clarke knows this too. My English may be clumsy but I still understand things."

Anya nodded slowly.

"I see that Lexa. I'm just making sure. Did you want to go back to camp now? We've been out here for some time."

"Yes."

"Could you- swing us slower? I'm still nauseaus from before."

Lexa smiled at her cousin and Anya knew then that everything was going to be alright.


	10. Too Much

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke worries about Lexa leaving with Anya and Raven rescues Anya from Finn.

Clarke felt like she had been holding her breath since Lexa and Anya had gone for their talk. When they returned she felt a deep relief, alarmed at how concerned she had been for Lexa.

"Everything okay?" she asked Lexa, getting up.

Lexa smiled and threw her arms around Clarke in a hug.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Clarke placed a hand on Lexa's lower back, feeling a sense of relief at the contact. She noticed Anya looking at her strangely and pulled back.

"I would like to take Lexa back home to Polis with me," Anya said suddenly, "if she wants that."

Clarke felt all blood rush from her face. She had feared it would lead to this. She reminded herself that it would be good for Lexa to find where she was from.

"Lexa? Did you want to go with Anya to Polis?"

Lexa glanced between Anya and Clarke with apprehension.

"Will you come too, Clarke?" Lexa asked her.

Clarke frowned.

"I don't -"

"Clarke can come and visit once you're settled in. She will be welcome there."

Lexa seemed to be thinking about the offer now and Clarke just tried to ignore the deep pounding of her heart as she tried and failed to imagine a scenario where Anya didn't take Lexa away from her. Lexa had made up her mind to go. She could already tell. She could always read Lexa without even trying.

"When will you leave?" Clarke asked softly, barely able to form the words.

"We can stick around for a few days. Let her have time to say her goodbyes but I have a business conference after that I need to be back for."

Clarke nodded.

A few days. That's all they had left together and who knew after that if she would ever see Lexa again. As if she could read Clarke's mind, Lexa took her hand and urged her to come and sit with her bored with the conversation now. Clarke usually spent the evenings playing her guitar to Lexa and singing and she had come to expect it at the same time.

  
Anya watched Clarke singing to her cousin, Lexa enthralled as she sat, her head resting on one hand, gazing adoringly at Clarke. She had a beautiful voice to be sure but her cousin gazed at her as if nothing else even existed but Clarke and Anya's brow furrowed and her lips pursed together.

_How is this going to work? She's infatuated with her. Should I even be taking her away._

She truly only wanted to care for Lexa and even she could see that they had a connection but they were from different worlds. Clarke was from a family of academics and lived a life of travel and learning. Lexa came from one of the wealthiest families in Polis. She was amazed that the Griffin's hadn't heard of the Woods family but she reasoned that they spent more time concerned with other things.

And yet her cousin's green eyes were shining as she listened to Clarke play for her.

"Anya Woods. What a pleasure!"

Anya's thoughts were interrupted by an upper class male with floppy black hair and an air of arrogance. She eyed him sharply. She was more than used to this sort of person. They thought if they were friendly towards her she could help increase their own standing in society.

"And you are...?" she said with annoyance.

"Finn Collins. You've probably heard of me. I'm one of the richest men in Arkadia. Not to brag but hey if you've got it flaunt it."

Anya could already tell that she wasn't going to like this man.

"Never heard of you," she replied. "Arkadia. That's relatively small... at least in terms of business prospects. What pray tell are you doing out here then?"

"I'm here for my fiancee," he said gesturing to Clarke.

Anya glanced between him and Clarke in horror.

"Clarke is your fiancee?"

"As good as," he said with a laugh. "When she finally gets around to accepting the proposal."

The tension that had wound up inside of Anya thinking that Lexa was going to get her heart broken eased as she realised it was his aspiration to marry Clarke and that she had not accepted.

"I see," she said dryly.

"Hey Finn. Leave the woman alone. She just got here. Can't you bug off and annoy someone else."

Anya's brows rose in surprise as the young latina all but told Finn to get lost. Finn just groaned and leaned in closer than Anya was comfortable with.

"The hired help. She really doesn't know her place. Whoever hired her made a bad decision. Raven has no respect for class or even has class for that matter."

"Finn so help me God if you don't move away from her now and take a hike I'm gonna kick your ass. I don't care how rich you are."

Finn smirked but turned and walked away, shoving Raven with his shoulder as he passed her.

"Jackass!" she yelled.

Anya found herself staring at Raven, more than a little impressed by her attitude. She put a hand on Anya's shoulder and patted it causing Anya to freeze at the touch.

"Had to rescue you there. You don't want to get stuck with that ass all evening. He gets more annoying the longer you talk to him."

Raven moved her hand as she waved over to one of the other campmates, saying something quickly in Portugese that Anya didn't understand. It was just as well that Raven wasn't looking at her as she soon realised she was staring at her like a horny teenager, far too aroused by her confidence.

"Hey you eaten yet? We're having dinner. You should join us," Raven said with a smile.

"Sure."

Anya who was cold and ruthless in the boardroom, who had a reputation for being able to tear down a rival in seconds without even blinking, found herself oddly mute and compliant now.

"You'll love it. We have Gustus and he's a mean cook. Best jungle cuisine you'll ever eat unless you had something else in mind Woods...."

Raven's voice had a suggestive tone and her gaze flickered down over Anya's body. Anya gulped not used to anyone being so forward with their intentions.

"Too much?" Raven asked. "Just dinner it is then. Had to ask, you being so hot. Wouldn't have forgiven myself if I let the opportunity pass by."

Anya would've blushed if she was the sort of woman who blushed.


	11. Getting Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anya surprises herself while Clarke and Lexa grow even closer.

"I don't usually do this sort of thing?"

Anya grabbed her shirt and slung it over her head flustered and embarrassed. Raven just lay on her back in her small tent, as relaxed as can be as Anya dressed herself a few feet away.

"It's all good. We're grown women."

Anya was telling the truth. She never slept with women she barely knew. For one thing she never had the time given her hectic lifestyle and for another it just wasn't her.

She tucked her shirt into her pants as Raven just lay there naked and calm.

"I would appreciate it if you wouldn't mention this to anyone. With my family name I have to avoid unwanted tabloid attention."

Raven made a face.

"You're saying sex with me is newsworthy is that what you are saying?"

She grinned and Anya felt herself falling as she looked into those big, brown eyes. This had been exactly how she'd gotten into the situation in the first place. Raven had been flirty and funny and just so damn charming and she'd been weak.

"I mean it. It's just with the press..."

"I'm just kidding. I won't say a word to anyone. I promise. It's not a big deal."

Anya exhaled in relief as she pulled on her hiking shoes.

"Thank you."

"No problem."

Raven closed her eyes and that was the end of their conversation. Anya wasn't used to someone like Raven. She was completely unaffected by the wild sex they'd just had and honestly Anya was embarrassed by how dominating she herself had been during the act. It was as if some primal part of her had taken over. She had pinned Raven's body with her own as they'd kissed madly and had taken complete control, and Raven had let her. Anya had never been more turned on in all her life.

She exited the tent, hoping no one would question why she had been in there so long, straightening up her tousled hair as she walked.

  
"That's really neat. I don't know how you do that."

Clarke was lying on her belly in her own tent, watching Lexa balance upside down on one hand. She was completely at ease and landed on her feet like a cat and lay down on her front side by side with Clarke, their bodies just touching.

"So are you looking forward to living in Polis?" Clarke asked softly.

Lexa spun her head towards Clarke, meeting her eyes.

"Not sure. It will be different."

Clarke smiled reassuringly.

"Hey different isn't always bad. This place is different from where I come from but if I hadn't travelled here I would have never met you."

Lexa gave her a slight smile. She had been more subdued since she'd agreed to leave with Anya. They both had.

"I'll come and visit like Anya said and by then you'll probably love it so much you won't even remember me after a few weeks."

Lexa sat up and Clarke copied the move so that they were facing each other. She reached for Clarke's hand and put it to her heart and shook her head.

"You're in here. Will never forget you."

Clarke blinked rapidly and leaned in to rest her head on Lexa's shoulder.

"I'll never forget you either."

She sighed into Lexa's neck as they leaned into each other.

"It will be okay," Clarke whispered. "Anya will take care of you."

"No. I will take care of Anya."

Clarke smiled into Lexa's neck, burying her face in her soft skin. It was so like Lexa to say that. Clarke put her other arm around Lexa and gazed up into those beautiful green eyes. Lexa was breathing heavier as she gazed back at Clarke with love and desire in her eyes. They gravitated towards each other, craning to reach each other, their lips just inches apart. Neither of them moved, so close to kissing yet not letting their lips brush together.

They were both breathing heavily now, utterly drawn to each other, something unspoken in the air between them.

"It's getting late," Clarke whispered, jolting back and breaking the moment. "We should - uh get some rest."

Lexa exhaled and whether it was with regret or relief, Clarke didn't know. She nodded and grabbed her sleeping bag, that she still preferred to use as a pillow while Clarke unzipped hers.

Lexa glanced at it, a question on her lips and Clarke could read all too easily what she was thinking.

"Did you want to share? It'll be pretty cramped but I don't mind. I trust you."

Lexa hesitated but then made up her mind and smiled. They both climbed into the sleeping bag and Clarke zipped it up around them. Lexa closed her eyes and hugged into Clarke's side as always, her head resting against Clarke's neck just under the cover of the sleeping bag.

Clarke lay her head down grabbing Lexa's rolled up sleeping bag and using it as a pillow. Lexa just burrowed in closer until she had her head completely covered and Clarke wrapped an arm around her, her mind full of questions about what this strange feeling was in her heart.


	12. Farewells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Lexa struggle to separate and Clarke returns home to Arkadia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for everyone's wonderful comments ☺

When the day came that Lexa was leaving, Clarke was feeling lousy. All night she had lain awake, Lexa curled up inside her sleeping bag with her, having shared it together for the previous few days. She felt sick and worried and filled with dread that she might never see Lexa again, her mind full of ridiculous nightmare scenarios about Anya locking Lexa in a cage and putting her in a zoo or something. She knew she was being silly but Lexa was special and she had felt responsible for her since she had found her. Or rather since Lexa had found her.

The few possessions she had were packed and Lexa had disappeared into the jungle, wanting to say her goodbyes to Onca and her home privately. Clarke was waiting with Anya and Raven in the camp for Lexa to return before the trio set off.

"I've emailed you all my details and written them down and given them to your mother and father too in case there's any problems. We have exchanged phone numbers. I'll make sure Titus always puts you straight through to me."

Anya was trying to ease Clarke's obvious sadness at Lexa leaving.

"Thanks," Clarke just said in a low voice. "I just hope she likes it there. It'll be an adjustment."

"One made much easier because of you," Anya replied.

Raven was oddly quiet as she sat with them, just staring out into the distance, deep in thought.

"You are welcome to visit Lexa anytime. You both are," Anya continued.

Raven didn't reply and Anya frowned. She had been acting perfectly normal with Anya the last few days. What was she thinking about?

"Rae?" Clarke asked, noticing Raven's quietness.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. That'll be cool. You know I'm really gonna miss Lexa. She's been a lot of fun to have around. You both are. I might take you up on that offer some time. My summer is almost over and I'll be heading back to the states. Mind if I bounce your way Griffin and visit Arkadia."

"Not at all," Clarke said with a genuine smile. "You're welcome to stay with me. Mom and Dad have some conferences on the east coast and so they won't be back for a few weeks. I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

Raven grinned and patted Clarke's knee.

"We're gonna have a blast. It'll be awesome."

Clarke smiled back but then saw Lexa dropping down to the ground from a vine. She looked so sad, with a longing in her eyes as she met Clarke's own.

Clarke had to swallow a lump in her throat, feeling tears pricking at the corners of her eyes.

"I want to speak to Clarke," Lexa said solemnly.

She glanced at Anya who hurriedly suggested that her and Raven give them a minute and soon Clarke and Lexa were walking together, out of earshot of the rest of the camp.

"I have something for you," Lexa said.

She held out a bracelet that she had handmade out of small twisted vines woven together. It was incredibly intricate and Clarke wondered when she had made it.

"Lexa it's beautiful. How did you make this?"

Lexa smiled but the smile didn't reach her eyes. Clarke put it on her right wrist, her fingers on her left hand brushing over the bracelet with wonder.

"I wish I had something for you. Wait."

Clarke took off her little blue jacket, that she was so fond of wearing and held it out to Lexa.

"But this is your favourite," Lexa just replied.

Clarke shoved it in her hands, knowing that she wouldn't take it otherwise.

"And now it's yours. I want you to have it."

Lexa smiled and lowered her head. She put her arms through the sleeves, one at a time and pulled it up over her shoulder.

"Thank you for this gift."

"We will meet again," Clarke reassured her, "and I just know that you're gonna enjoy your new life with Anya."

Her voice was cracking as she spoke, the words too difficult to voice. She wrapped her arms around Lexa and they hugged tightly and then Lexa shifted and leaned in to kiss Clarke and she let her. It was a farewell kiss that didn't last long, more a brushing of their lips for just a few seconds. Lexa cupped Clarke's face, her hands resting on either side.

"We will meet again," she echoed, placing one final kiss on her forehead.

Lexa pulled her hands away and turned her back to her, heading towards Anya with heavy shoulders. Clarke felt a tear fall down her cheek and turned away too. If she didn't she was going to break. She couldn't watch Lexa leave and not break.

  
A Few Weeks Later

"Hey you're back. Oh my God, you've been gone for ages."

Clarke blinked as Octavia drew her into a hug and her friends gathered around her in the bar/coffee house where they usually met. Monty and Harper greeted her and hugged her and Bellamy, and Murphy even seemed happy to see her and seemed to have gotten a new girlfriend while she was away.

"So..." Octavia asked, glancing at the brunette who was absent mindedly scanning around the room, "who's your friend? Tell me you got a hot girlfriend while you were away."

Clarke sighed, feeling a familiar pang in her heart that had never seemed to leave since Lexa had left.

"No," she breathed out, "she's just a friend. Raven worked as our guide in Brazil. She's staying with me for a while, now that she's finished her work for the season."

Raven shot out her hand.

"Raven Reyes. Not Clarke's hot girlfriend but I can be someone's hot girlfriend."

Octavia raised an eyebrow and shook her hand.

"Forward of you to assume I'm into women. I'm actually not but I'm flattered."

Raven made a gesture with her other hand as if to dismiss the idea.

"A girl's gotta try hasn't she?"

"Absolutely," Octavia replied. "If you don't ask..."

"Exactly!" Raven exclaimed. "Carpe diem, seize the day or whatever bullshit phrase it is."

Octavia laughed.

"Oh I like her," she told Clarke, pointing at Raven.

"I thought you might," Clarke chuckled.

"So you didn't get a hot girlfriend or boyfriend in Brazil? Or did you sit around and pine and not make a move like usual? I keep telling her she needs to go more after what she wants."

"Oh she was far too busy being distracted with-" Clarke nudged Raven sharply with her elbow,

"-Art," Raven choked. "She was busy with art."

Clarke shot a warning glare at her and Raven thought it best to stop talking at that point.

"You're hopeless," Octavia said, shaking her head. "I thought you might have fallen helplessly in love and been swept off your feet in the jungle. Come on. Let's get you a drink and you can tell me all about your trip."

"Sure," Clarke heard herself saying.

  
Many drinks later and she was moping, playing with a random beer mat and glancing down forlornly at the bracelet on her right wrist.

"Do you think she's okay? Should I call? Should I go and see her? Maybe she wants her space? Maybe she's forgotten all about me."

"Who? What the hell are you talking about?"

Octavia sat herself on the stool beside her, a pint of ale in her hand. Clarke who was more than a little drunk by now and desperately pining, didn't even try to pretend anymore.

"Lexa," she replied, sulking into her own glass of alcohol.

"Who's Lexa?" Octavia mouthed to Raven who was half-turned away and in the middle of arguing with Murphy over who was better at pool.

Raven slammed down her small glass on the counter.

"Lexa is the wild jungle woman we found that turned out to be a millionaire."

Octavia's face dropped and her mouth hung open.

"No way! You're joking. Clarke you met a female Tarzan in the jungle. Did you sleep with her?"

Clarke just turned her head and glared at her, her bottom lip pouting.

"Don't talk about her that way. We didn't have sex."

"Only because Clarkie here has the restraint of a nun," Raven joked. "Lexa was totally hot and an absolute badass and Clarke absolutely wanted to sleep with her."

"Hey stop talking about her like that. It's disrespectful. She's different." Clarke sighed deeply, "Lexa is special."

Octavia's eyebrows rose and she glanced at Raven. Raven made a motion with her hands over her heart and her pretending to swoon and then pointed to Clarke.

"Oh we are so gonna talk about this," Octavia said.

"No we're not," Clarke said sulking. "I don't wanna talk about Lexa."

She grabbed her drink and slid off her stool and headed over to where Monty, Jasper and Harper were playing a drinking game with a coin in a cup, determined to focus on something else. Raven slid over closer to Octavia and leaned in to her.

"Wanna know about Lexa and Clarke? I'll tell you everything."

"Go on," Octavia replied. "What happened between them out there?"

"Well it all started when Clarke came face to face with a jaguar..."

Octavia took a quick mouthful of her drink excitedly as Raven continued to relate the tale.


	13. What Are Friends For?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke awakes from her night out to find out that Raven has been up to her usual mischief. Lexa struggles to adjust and Clarke goes to visit Polis with her friends.

Clarke awoke face down on Octavia's sofa to the sound of laughing. She was thirsty and put a hand to her head to ease the throbbing she felt.

"Hey Griff get over here. We've solved your problem."

Clarke dragged herself to her feet and towards the sound of Raven's voice in the kitchen. She seated herself at the table beside Octavia, the other two women busy eating cereal having clearly been awake for some time.

"What do you mean you solved my problem? Can I have a bowl of that?"

Octavia slid the cereal box over and got up and put a bowl, spoon and carton of milk on the table.

"We sent Anya a message from your phone to arrange for you to visit Lexa. You weren't ever gonna do it so..."

"You're welcome," Octavia added, inbetween mouthfuls.

Clarke's eyes widened and she put her hands to her jeans realising that her phone was missing. Raven held it up and she snatched at it and immediately searched through her messages.

"Oh you didn't. Raven! I was going to ring when I was ready!"

"Well now you don't have to."

"Come on Clarke," Octavia said slapping her hand down on the table in frustration. "You know you would have just left it and weeks would go by and you would regret it... and Raven told me how crazy you are about Lexa, who you didn't even mention."

Clarke turned her head and closed her eyes for a second.

"It's complicated. She's spent her whole life living with wild animals. She needs time to adjust."

"I have a strong feeling she wants to see you too," Raven said. "Just go and see her. We'll come with you. Octavia'll even drive you there."

Octavia raised her eyebrows but didn't correct her.

"Fine," Clarke said, "but you both need to be on your best behaviour and no jungle jokes or comments about her being hot..."

"She totally is," Raven said quickly glancing at Octavia.

"And we need to check that Anya is okay with it. I mean we're three strangers to her. Who's to say she is going to even be okay with us all showing up and crashing at her house."

"She is. After she texted back I kinda rang her and asked."

Clarke shook her head disapprovingly.

"I guess it's out of my hands then."

"Is that a yes?" Octavia asked in surprise.

Honestly a part of her had thought Clarke wouldn't go for it.

"Yes."

"Great. Road trip!" Raven exclaimed. "It's gonna be awesome."

When Lexa had arrived at the large manor house it had just looked foreign and alien to her. Everything from seeing the city to getting on the plane in Brazil to travelling to Polis had been unfamiliar. She had worn Clarke's blue jacket the whole time, wanting something of hers nearby and yet it wasn't enough. She already missed her.

Anya was nice enough. She gave her a large room of her own and the garden had plenty of large trees for Lexa to climb. Anya offered to find a way to bring Onca with her but Lexa shook her head. Onca belonged in the jungle. She was not for the human world.

Titus continued to teach her English but wasn't as patient as Clarke had been and Lexa often grew frustrated and ended up disappearing from lessons as soon as he turned his back.

When Anya got the text she was surprised to say the least. Then Raven called from Clarke's phone and before she knew it she was agreeing to let them all stay with her for a while.

She was relieved that Clarke was coming over. Lexa had become sullen and was barely communicating with anyone and no matter how Anya tried to talk to her but she wouldn't open up.

  
When the car pulled up to the house it was guarded by security and large gates.

"Jesus, this is her house?" Octavia muttered clutching her steering wheel. "It's huge."

They gave security their names and the gates opened to let them in. Clarke felt that familiar quickening of her heart as she thought of seeing Lexa again. It had been far too long and she'd been so worried about her.

Anya greeted her at the door but Lexa was noticably absent.

"She's annoyed at Titus, our family butler," Anya explained. "He's a teacher as well and... Lexa and him haven't been getting along so well."

Clarke could see that Anya was beyond stressed with the situation.

"I'm sure we can find her. Where's the highest place. She likes to hide up in high places. Did you think about building her a tree house?"

Anya moved aside and invited them all in, asking a few of her employees to take their suitcases and put them in their rooms.

"This way."

Clarke followed her through the house and was barely out in the large natural garden that made up part of the estate, when Lexa appeared, leaping down from an tree branch and threw her arms around Clarke.

"Clarke. You're here."

Clarke hugged her back tightly, feeling a deep sense of relief at seeing her again. When they pulled back, Clarke looked at her properly. She was dressed in a loose, white shirt and black pants that were both rolled up. She was barefoot and her hair was still braided back.

"Do you want your jacket back?" Lexa asked pointing upwards.

Clarke smiled and looked up, knowing that Lexa had hidden it up there.

"No it's yours. It was a gift. Like my bracelet."

Clarke touched her arm and Lexa beamed with joy. Then she glanced at Anya as if asking for permission to show Clarke around and Anya just nodded.

Lexa reached for Clarke's hand and took it in her own and started leading her towards the house.

"Where are we going?" Clarke asked chuckling.

"To show you my house. Anya says I own it too."

"Okay."

Clarke just let Lexa lead her, not even caring where they were going. All she knew was that it felt right when she was with Lexa and that she would follow her anywhere.

The tour ended with Lexa dragging her into her bedroom, apparently one of her favourite rooms in the house.

"It's a great house Lexa. Do you like it here?"

Lexa picked up a small square cushion and started picking at the edges, not looking at Clarke.

"What's wrong?" Clarke asked, leaning forward to touch her arm.

"It doesn't feel like home."

"Oh Lexa..." Clarke said with a sigh. "It's normal to feel like that when you move somewhere new. Why didn't you tell Anya? She could've helped."

Lexa shook her head.

"Anya works all the time. She is too busy and Titus talks to me like I'm a child. It's insulting."

Clarke chuckled at the irritated face she made. She clearly didn't like this Titus guy one bit.

"Why don't you add your own touches to it so you feel more comfortable. Make it more your home too?"

Lexa looked up and smiled broadly.

"Will you help?"

"Of course I will," Clarke said, squeezing her hand. "That's what I'm here for."

Lexa put her hand over Clarke's as if to keep it there.

"So you're staying?"

"Yes Lexa, I'm staying. I wouldn't leave you here knowing you aren't happy."

"What should we do first?" Lexa asked.

"Well..." Clarke said, glancing around the room. "I was thinking we could repaint in here. It's a bit dark and dull. And maybe change some of these furnishings. Whatever you want to change we could change. Oh we should get you a dog. You've always been around animals."

Lexa smiled and pulled Clarke's hand to rest over her heart.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

Lexa brought her hand to her lips and kissed the back if it and Clarke's heart skipped a beat.

"Well I'm here now," she said in an unsteady voice.

Lexa put Clarke's hand up to her face and leaned into it and Clarke felt that tug she always did towards Lexa. She brushed her thumb over the side of Lexa's forehead, where a few stray strands of hair had escaped her braids.


	14. New Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa goes overboard with making new animal friends, Anya is in need of destressing and Clarke learns one of the reasons why Lexa has been unhappy.

For the next few days Clarke helped Lexa to adjust. They redecorated her room with bright colours, ordered a treehouse to be installed and had several extra trees and plants around the place to make it feel more familiar to Lexa.

Lexa bounded into the dining room and hugged Clarke before sitting down to eat with them at the table. Octavia and Raven just glanced at each other knowingly.

"Lessons start early again tomorrow Lexa," Titus told her sternly. "You still have a lot to do and I don't expect any trouble this time."

Clarke shot a glare at him. Lexa had told him how he conducted his 'lessons'. He was rude and impatient and she knew that Anya only kept him at all because she felt she owed him for all the years of service he'd given to the family. Clarke had already decided that she disliked him and how he spoke to Lexa.

"Lexa isn't having lessons tomorrow," Anya said quickly. "Clarke is taking her to pick out a pet."

"A friend not a pet," Lexa corrected.

"A friend," Anya repeated, still having difficulty with understanding how Lexa saw the world so differently from her.

Titus shot a look at Clarke as if deeply unhappy she was even involved in the situation.

"What are you even teaching her anyway?" Clarke asked. "Her English is just fine."

"Proper etiquette," Titus repeated. "All members of the Woods family are expected to attend functions and make public appearances and she cant very well start climbing all over everything and sniffing people."

Clarke gripped her dinner knife tightly in her left hand, glaring at him.

"She's not an idiot. You could just ask her not to do that in front of people. Maybe if you tried actually listening to her instead of being so concerned with the sound of your own voice..."

Lexa put a hand on Clarke's arm and shook her head signalling that she didn't want them to argue. Clarke didn't finish her sentence and just clenched her jaw. Lexa rubbed her sleeve and leaned her head on Clarke's shoulder and placed a kiss on her cheek to thank her.

"Anyway," Anya continued. "I'll be at meetings for most of the day and won't be back until late. "If any of you need anything just call the office. My home is your home."

"Our home," Lexa said.

Anya smiled as she met her cousin's eyes which twinkled with amusement.

"Our home. Absolutely."

Anya knew deep down that this wasn't going to be the last time that Clarke and Titus were going to clash over Lexa, but given how happy Lexa seemed that Clarke was there compared to how she was before, Anya would happily let her stay for as long as Lexa wanted her there. Just to see Lexa smiling again was a great sense of relief.

  
The next day Clarke took Lexa to a large rescue centre to find her a new 'friend'.

"What about that one? He's cute."

Lexa shook her head as she looked at animal who barely even resembled what she thought of as a dog.

"The cats here are so small," Lexa said. "Why are they so little?"

"Um evolution? I'll teach you that later. What about this one?"

Lexa glanced in and shook her head. They all just looked strange to her.

"Clarke, why are animals in a rescue centre? They are all locked up."

Clarke who was busy smiling at the dog turned her head.

"Lots of reasons. They don't have homes. Humans have kept pets for a long time but they aren't just pets to some people. They're family. Unfortunately some people mistreat them or abandon them or sometimes the animal gets lost or their owner has passed away."

"Owner?" Lexa asked.

Clarke frowned, trying not to upset her.

"That's what we call the person who looks after them. It's for legal reasons I guess but I can see why you wouldn't like that. These animals aren't like Onca though. They have never lived wild. They were raised with humans."

"Apart from that one," a woman said.

It was one of the volunteers, walking through. Lexa turned her head curiously.

"She was wild?" Lexa asked.

"She absolutely was. That's an American Dingo. They're usually found in Carolina and swampy areas but she was found feral in Polis, bothering local business owners by knocking over trash cans. We've been trying to get someone to adopt her for a while but no one wants her."

Lexa walked up to the enclosure and observed the dog with a tilted head.

"Dingo," she said. "That's a good name."

Lexa made a noise in her throat and put out her hand and the animal came over immediately curious. Lexa kneeled down in front of her and leaned in to sniff the animals through the gaps in the enclosure. After a minute she stood up.

"We will invite this one to my home. Where are the cats? Clarke said there were cats that needed homes?"

"Great I'll do all the paperwork. Do you have a leash for her?"

Lexa glanced at Clarke not sure what one was.

"No we don't. Trust me don't need to tie Dingo up. We got it."

The woman looked at the dog who was happily wagging it's tail with its tongue hanging out and then looked at Lexa and back at Clarke.

"Lexa's kinda gifted when it comes to animals. Believe me. She is gonna have a very happy life with her."

Before the woman could even protest Lexa had opened the enclosure and Dingo walked straight out and just followed her as she headed around looking for the cats with her head held high.

"Are you sure you want this many?" Anya asked in horror when she got home to find numerous animals in her house.

There was a dog, a few cats and a parrot that was roaming free in the home.

"Yes," Lexa said. "They had no homes. "Look this is little Onca. They said she gets cold easy."

She held up a bengal kitten with spots all over its back. The kitten was purring uncontrollably but when Anya reached out to stroke it, the kitten swiped at her and hissed.

"No one wanted her because she was aggressive but they didn't make friends first so she didn't trust them. I'll teach you to make friends like I showed Clarke."

"We are going to need to build an animal refuge," Anya muttered under her breath. "Titus will not be happy about this."

"Sorry," Clarke said. "She wanted to rescue every animal in there. I had to talk her out of taking all of them home."

"That one is little Baya," Lexa said, "he thinks he's tough but he isn't. Pay no mind to his antics."

Baya was a tiger kitten who was stalking Anya's shoe and then pouncing on it and biting it. He kicked at it with his back feet and then rolled over and was startled when Anya shook him off.

  
"It's fine," Anya told Clarke, "just as long as she can look after them. "It's just more than I expected.

Dingo was sat besides Lexa's feet, Baya walking around her cautiously as she waited patiently for Lexa to move. Lexa made a noise and he looked up and walked to the sofa and jumped up on it and lay down.

"Dingo is tired. He was very excited when he found out he had a new home and wore himself out running around the garden."

Anya just glanced at the dog which was already dozing off.

"I guess I'll get used to it."

Clarke still looked apologetic but Lexa seemed in her element and was smiling and then gazing at Clarke like she always did.

Anya shook her head and walked off to her office only to find Raven in there with her feet up on her desk and her long hair styled down. She was wearing red lipstick and dressed in jeans and black t-shirt with a band name on that Anya didn't recognise.

"Can I help you?"

"No but I can help you," Raven told her, getting to her feet.

Anya's breath hitched as Raven walked over and leaned into Anya, pushing the door closed behind her and locking it.

"Raven..." Anya started.

Raven put a finger to her lips.

"Hush, I'm just gonna help you relax for a while. You can take a break can't you? I can see how stressed you are."

Anya wanted to protest but Raven looked so good and the perfume she was wearing smelled divine that she wanted to bury her nose into Raven's neck just above her collarbone and drink it in until she was intoxicated.

Raven waited for Anya to resist, gripping the lapels of her blazer. When she didn't Raven pushed it back over her shoulders and down letting it drop to floor. She untucked Anya's shirt from her waist keeping eye contact and reached to undo her belt.

Anya put a hand on Raven's arm to stop her, hesistating now. Raven stopped immediately waiting for permission and then Anya nodded and closed her eyes as Raven's deft fingers undid the belt buckle and pulled it open.

"You wanna do this standing up or on your desk or what?"

Anya was too aroused to form words, remembering how good it had felt the last time she had slept with Raven.

"Desk," she rasped, her throat dry.

Raven put a hand around her waist and pulled down her pants and underwear and turned her. Anya leapt up on the desk and Raven spread her legs.

"I knew there was a reason I followed Clarke on this trip," Raven said with a grin.

Anya just watched, helplessly aroused as Raven lowered herself and went to work on relieving Anya of all her tensions.

  
"So are you happier here now?" Clarke asked as she watched Lexa happily scratching the back of little Onca's ears for her.

The kitten was on its back, half turned to one side as Lexa soothed it. It was purring loudly and Clarke thought that she could watch Lexa interact with animals all day. Clarke was on the sofa beside her, her elbow on an armrest propping up her head as gazed at Lexa dreamily.

"Very," Lexa said, "but that may be as much to do with you being here too."

Clarke just continued to gaze at her with half-closed eyes. Her brain was fighting with her heart, telling her to be rational, that Lexa was an heiress and so far out of Clarke's league that it was ridiculous but her heart didn't seem to want to listen at all.

_I mean, would it even work between us? She's still adapting. She hasn't even had the chance to discover what she wants. She could want someone else when she realises how many people will want to marry her._

Clarke then found herself worrying that Lexa could be targeted by golddiggers and began to frown. Lexa seemed to notice her silence and reached up to her chin, brushing her fingertips over the edges and guiding her head up.

"Sorry," Clarke said. "I was just thinking."

"What about?" Lexa asked. "Can I help?"

Clarke smiled and just shook her head.

"No," she said gently. "It's nothing important."

Some voice at the back of Clarke's head told her that she would have to face the issue sooner or later but Clarke wanted to make the most of her time with Lexa.

_Why complicate it now_ she thought. _Lexa is just beginning to be happy again._

She carried on watching Lexa with little Onca unable to tear her gaze away as she watched the tiny quirks of Lexa's lips as they moved. She could study Lexa's face for hours. Her defined brow, her high cheeks and luscious lips... The way one eyebrow quirked up occassionally and how Lexa tilted her head slightly so that her ears could pick up the sounds around her and locate them.

And her eyes. Clarke loved them most of all. Well her eyes and her lips. Both of those drew her in deeper and deeper. She could stare at them for hours her gaze just flickering between them and dreaming of leaning in and capturing those lips in her own again. Her heart thudded in her chest at the memory, beating quickly then returning to a steady rhythm as Lexa spoke soothingly to the kitten.

Oh and her voice. Clarke had almost forgotten how much she loved Lexa's voice. It was rich silk, soothing her as much as the kitten and yet Clarke doubted the kitten felt as hot and bothered by it as she did. Lexa's voice always did that to her. So distinct and careful. Lexa was never reckless with words.

"Okay," Clarke said. "We should figure out what you want to wear for the function this weekend. Anya says it's important for you to attend. They're going to announce your return to the shareholders and press."

Lexa stilled her hands as if she was suddenly afraid. Clarke had never ever seen Lexa afraid of anything. It upset her deeply to see Lexa fearful.

"Hey it's gonna be okay. I'm going to be there with you. We'll go over everything before then. It'll be fine. Parties can be fun."

Lexa turned her head and met Clarke's eyes, a deep sense of gratitude in them and something else that Clarke didn't want to name. Clarke swallowed and moved to hug Lexa, rubbing the back of her head.

"I know it's scary. Everything is so different but it's going to be better than you think. Everyone will love you."

"Titus does not," Lexa said, lifting her head. "He thinks I am savage and primitive. He told me as much."

"What?" Clarke asked in shock. "What exactly did he say to you? When did he say it?"

"He was trying to teach me how to act in public and he said that I was a savage beast and that it wouldn't do. He told me it would bring shame to my family how primitive I was and that my parents would be ashamed."

Clarke felt a fury rise deep within her heart. She clenched her jaw and looked away then refocussed for Lexa's sake, putting a hand on Lexa's knee.

"Listen, Titus is wrong. There is nothing savage about you. Your parents would be so proud of who you've become. You're strong and brave and kind and passionate and honest. You're the best kind of person and Titus is the idiot for not being able to see that."

Clarke paused as Lexa glanced down at the hand on her knee for a split second and then back up to Clarke.

"You are so special Lexa. The most special person I have ever met. I can't even imagine not knowing you."

"Am I -" Lexa paused as if hesitant. "Special to you?"

Clarke blinked and raised her chin.

"Very special. More than you can understand."

Lexa inhaled sharply, her gaze dropping to Clarke's lips and then she reached out to cup Clarke's in one hand and kissed her. Clarke had never meant to let it happen again but when Lexa's lips touched her own, she began to kiss her back, unable to hold back from what she was feeling for Lexa anymore. She'd tried to resist but now was admitting defeat as she drowned out all thoughts, except of Lexa's lips moving in time with her own. Clarke put a hand around Lexa's waist, wanting to draw her closer and then the parrot squawked and made Clarke jump and they pulled away.

"Ryder," Lexa said shaking her head. "That was rude of you."

Clarke just burst out laughing and Lexa smiled broadly back at her, Clarke's laughter infectious. Soon they were both laughing and when it finally subsided some deeper feeling hung between them as they gazed into each other's eyes.


	15. Would You Be Mine?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anya discusses Lexa with board members. Clarke has lunch with Raven and Octavia and Lexa gets angry with Titus.

Anya straightened herself up in the bathroom mirror before she headed towards the board meeting. She'd not been looking forward to it but her afternoon with Raven had certainly helped.

Anya entered the boardroom and seated herself at the head of the table.

"We don't have all day to wait for you," Nia Queen quipped immediately from her chair. "You're two minutes late."

"Barely," Anya said, "and I'm here now. As you know I currently own the largest share in Woods Enterprises. Nia owns a significant portion of the remaining shares and the remaining shares were allocated according to my family will to any other surviving Woods that remained."

Nia threw up her hand with impatience.

"What is this? There are no other Woods left. Your aunt and uncle have been missing for years."

"That's what this is about," Anya said, addressing the entire room. "We have discovered what happened to my aunt, uncle and cousin. Only my cousin Alexandria Woods survived and we have found her."

The cockiness that Nia had displayed so far began to disappear and was some replaced with displeasure and skepticism.

"This is some imposter. How can we know she is who she says she is?"

"She is. I've had it confirmed. Dna test, everything. It's her. The paperwork has all been completed and this weekend it will be announced to the public."

Nia looked downright furious now.

"Has she ever even worked in business? How can we trust this is good for Woods Incorporated? She will have a controlling share."

"She has no interest in being involved. She is happy to be a silent partner and allow me to take charge of the decisions."

"How convenient for you?" Nia sneered. "I take it we have to attend the event to actually meet this elusive cousin."

Anya met Nia's gaze, maintaining eye contact. Nia had wanted control of the company forever and would look for any opportunity to get what she wanted. She was a snake stalking her prey. Anya had spent many keeping Nia from getting her slimy hands on the company.

"That's right Ms Queen."

"Let's hope she doesn't do anything to embarrass the company."

Anya caught the sarcasm in her voice.

"She won't and even if she did, the press will love her. Trust me."

Nia just shrugged and made a face and Anya reminded herself that she had to thank Raven later. She was wound up so tight before the meeting and Nia was tricky to deal with at the best of times.

  
"Keep your head up, lift the glass to toast. Smile."

Lexa was more bored than ever during Titus' lesson, especially knowing that Clarke was just out with her friends for lunch and would be back soon. Clarke had asked her repeatedly if it was okay and if she wanted her to speak to Titus for her but Lexa didn't want to be babied.

"Lexa, focus! You need to know how to do all this by this weekend."

Lexa pushed away the glass with frustration and got up and turned her back to him, examining the portrait of her parents that was in the study. She ghosted her fingers over the image of them. She barely remembered them. She thought of her wild mother who had cared for her for until she was old enough to hunt for herself. How she used to purr as Lexa hugged into her fur and fell asleep and how safe Lexa had felt.

"Lexa! You are not taking this seriously. I don't know what you think this is..."

Lexa zoned out remembering her kiss with Clarke instead. Her body felt hot when she thought of it and she understand that it was the mating instinct. Jaguars didn't stay with their mates. They met, mated and went their seperate ways but Lexa had always known that she was not a jaguar. She was human and had as much in common with the wild primates as she did with cats. She had observed them for many years. Their rituals, their social structure, she had even learned a great deal about human mating rituals from asking Anya persistant questions. But one thing she had never been prepared for was how dominating her feelings were for Clarke. She felt breathless around her. The first time she ever saw Clarke in the jungle, all the air had gone from Lexa's lips and her mouth had parted and it wasn't just because Clarke was beautiful. It had been how she talked, how she moved. Everything about her had been enthralling and there was a kindness in her eyes. Lexa was lost from the first moment she looked into them.

  
"Why so fidgety Clarke?"

Clarke, Octavia and Raven were having lunch at a nearby café they'd wanted to try out. Since Clarke hadn't spent much time with her friends since they'd got there she felt she was overdue some friend time.

"Yeah you keep playing with your phone," Raven said. "Worried about Lexa?"

Clarke was busy spinning her phone between her fingertips absent mindedly.

"It's just Titus. He's been acting like a real jerk with her. I mean, I know she seems like nothing gets to her and she's super strong and everything but her feelings run deep and she's still adjusting and questioning herself."

"Clarke... me and Raven thought we should talk to you about this."

"About Lexa still adjusting?"

Octavia and Raven shared a glance.

"No, about your feelings for Lexa. You can't tell me you don't have feelings for her. We've all seen how you are together."

Clarke shook her head. She didn't want to talk about it, now yet. They had barely kissed and she didn't even know what she was feeling.

"It's complicated."

"Why?" Octavia asked, leaning forward on the table. "Why is it always complicated?"

Clarke looked away to the side.

"I don't know. It just is. It's different with her. She's different. It has to be-"

"Has to be what Clarke? You keep acting like you're just friends but you're crazy about her."

"It has to be on her terms," Clarke breathed out.

She felt deeply relieved at finally saying it.

"She's been through so much. She's strong but she's new to this, dating, romance. I want to make sure she's sure."

"Oh Clarke..." Octavia said shaking her head. "You think she's not sure? You think it's just a crush she has on you?"

"Octavia, she lived alone in the jungle for most of her life. She's more comfortable with animals than people. I can't just rush into dating her like I would anyone else. What if I hurt her?"

Raven looked straight at Clarke.

"You aren't afraid of hurting her. You would never hurt her. You're afraid of being hurt."

Clarke's brow furrowed and she lifted her chin. Raven sounded like she was talking from personal experience.

"Please guys. Just let me deal with this one alone. I know you are trying to help but this is between me and Lexa."

"Okay," Octavia said. "We'll let you deal with it but if I think you're in over your head I won't stand back and say nothing. Your my best friend and I'm always gonna look out for you."

Clarke smiled gratefully and then her phone rang and she picked it up.

"Hey. What's wrong? Yeah I'll come back right away. Thanks for calling me. Bye."

Clarke hung up the phone and started putting on her jacket.

"That was one of Anya's employees, Tris. I gave her my number just in case. Lexa and Titus had a disagreement."

"We'll pay and get out of here," Octavia said nodding.

  
Lexa was ignoring all of Titus words and quite happily daydreaming when she just heard Clarke's name on his lips.

She spun around immediately to face him.

"What did you just say?"

"I said that Clarke is a distraction and a bad influence over you. That idiot girl thinks she knows better than I do."

Lexa growled at him and stepped forward.

"Don't you growl at me young lady. I am trying to make you a respectable member of the Woods family? No one will ever want to settle down with you if you act like such a savage."

Lexa lifted her chin, deeply offended. She opened the study window which was on the upper floor.

"Don't you dare climb out there! We are not finished talking."

Lexa glanced over her shoulder at him with a glare and climbed out and swung herself up onto the roof and leapt onto a tree branch, swinging straight towards her new treehouse.

"You come back here!"

  
When Clarke got back to the manor house, Tris directed her towards the gardens where she found Titus standing under the treehouse yelling while Lexa tossed books at him and snarled.

"You come down here right now! Our lessons are not over."

A small rock flew down and narrowly missed him.

"What did you say!" Clarke demanded.

Titus looked sheepish now.

"I was merely trying to correct her behaviour and she flew into a temper."

"Titus!" Clarke yelled. "I swear to God if you don't get out of here right now and let me talk to her..."

Titus glared but didn't reply and headed away.

"Lexa. Can I come up there?"

Clarke waited but got no answer and then a rope ladder was slung out. She took a breath and climbed up.

When Clarke entered the treehouse Lexa was sat in the corner, her back against a wall, Clarke's blue jacket in her hands. She didn't look at Clarke.

"Hey. What did he say? Are you okay?"

Lexa just looked away.

"It's fine Clarke. I just didn't feel like lessons."

Clarke moved over to sit beside her, putting a hand on Lexa's shoulder.

"Please talk to me. I know he upset you. I hate seeing you like this."

Lexa turned her head, gazing into those concerned blue eyes.

"He insulted you. I was mad."

"Really? That bastard."

Lexa's lips quirked up at the corners at Clarke's humorous tone.

"Come on Lexa," she said, sighing. "Talk to me."

"He said that no one would ever want to become my mate because I was savage. Do you think that's true?"

"No," Clarke said, "and he's an ass for saying that at all. Where does he even get off talking to you like that?"

Clarke took Lexa's hand in her own and squeezed it.

"Listen to me. Anyone would be lucky to be your mate. You are amazing."

"Would you ever-?" Lexa started.

"What has been going on here!"

Clarke turned her head before Lexa could finish.

"Anya's home. I better go and let her know that everything's okay. Unless you want me to stay here with you and hide out for a while."

Lexa smiled but it was a weak smile.

"Go. I just want some time to think."

"Okay but I'm here if you need me."

Clarke patted Lexa's knee and kissed her cheek softly. Lexa watched her leave wondering why she couldn't be brave when it came to Clarke.

_Would you ever be my mate?_ she thought. _Because I'm in love with you._


	16. Protective Instincts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke talks to Anya and Titus. Raven has a word with Lexa and Clarke has a nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all your great comments recently. I wish I had time to reply to all of them all of the time but here's the next chapter instead.

Clarke hesistated over what to say to Anya. She knew that Lexa didn't want to cause difficulties for her but Titus' behaviour was completely out of line and he was upsetting her.

"So what happened?" Anya asked with crossed arms when Clarke entered her office and closed the door.

"It's Titus. He's been saying things to Lexa. Things that upset her. He literally called her a savage!"

Anya frowned in concern.

"Are you sure? I mean I know he can be very difficult but..."

"She told me herself. You didn't see how upset she was. He really got to her."

Anya shook her head. It was the worst time for Clarke to bring the problem to her. The press event was getting closer and closer and Lexa had to be on her best behaviour. The world would be watching.

  
"I'll talk to Titus but this is really a bad time. The press will be expecting a Woods and Lexa will need to act a certain way."

Clarke frowned with indignation.

"A certain way...?"

Anya sighed.

"You know what I mean. She can act however she wants once they're gone but while they're here they will be looking for any scandal they can."

Clarke raised her eyebrows incredulously.

"Lexa's a scandal to you? Wow. If you really feel like that..."

"I don't," Anya said quickly. "I'm just trying to keep the wolves at bay. Big business is cutthroat and I don't want Lexa to be targeted."

Clarke listened, still annoyed but trying to understand Anya's point of view.

"Alright but after the event, the lessons from Titus need to stop. He clearly can't seem to help himself. Unless you feel like climbing up a treehouse every day to calm her."

Anya nodded.

"No more lessons. That's fine. You can teach her instead. I know you both prefer that. Is that all she was upset about? Are you sure there wasn't something else?"

Clarke frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Anya had thought it might be more to do with Lexa's confused feelings for Clarke than Titus' bad temper.

"Nothing. Just wondering. If you don't mind now I have a few calls I need to make."

Clarke got to her feet, pushing herself up from her chair. She turned to go but stopped and turned back.

"And Anya?"

"Yes?" Anya replied, meeting Clarke's eyes.

"Lexa is not a scandal. She's not a victim and anyone who doesn't like her for who she is, doesn't deserve her. She's not like everyone else. She never will be and if you try to make her be someone she's not, I'll do everything in my power to get her away from you. Do you understand?"

Anya stared back at Clarke, the words resonating deeply with her. Clarke turned away and left, closing the door behind her and Anya just stared after her in surprise. She had no doubt that Clarke meant every word.

Clarke stormed down through the hall and straight towards the study where she guessed Titus was. She swung open the door and he looked up at her offended by her lack of manners. She strode over to him and got in his face, staring him down. Titus stood up to meet her challenge.

"You have no right to meddle in her life."

"Neither do you," Clarke growled. "Where do you get off saying those things to her? She told me what you said! You're going to stay away from her from now on."

"Absolutely not," Titus replied sternly. "You have no say over this."

Clarke tilted her head.

"You stay away from her or I'll tell Anya what I read in Lexa's father's notes. You bullied her mother too. That was why her father took his child and travelled half way around the world rather than leave Lexa with you."

"Lies," Titus said. "He made a promise to his father that I would remain in the family employment."

"Yes he did and that was probably the only reason he didn't fire you before he left. He planned to as soon as he returned though. It was all in the diaries we recovered. Lexa gifted them to my mom for the medical notes but I can always get hold of them if I need. It only takes a quick scan or picture and a phonecall."

Clarke stepped in closer to make her point.

"You say anything to upset Lexa again and I'm making that phonecall. You got it?"

Titus didn't reply but Clarke knew she had him. It wasn't in her nature to do things like that usually but she was damned if she was gonna let him continue to treat Lexa the way he had been doing. Clarke would fight anyone for Lexa.

  
"Hey Lex, I heard Titus pissed you off."

Raven climbed up into the treehouse with Lexa who was still sulking with Clarke's jacket.

"He's a jackass. Nice treehouse by the way. I would make it bigger. Give me some tools and wood and I'll upgrade this thing to a tree palace."

Lexa smiled at her attempts to cheer her up.

"Thank you Raven. I would like that."

"I always wanted to build stuff," Raven said. "But I was never given much of a choice. I had to take whatever job I was offered. I aced my science classes and wanted to study engineering."

"Why don't you?" Lexa asked.

Raven glanced away.

"I never had enough. Woods may be born rich as hell but the Reyes', we really aren't."

Lexa glanced at her curiously.

"It's hard when you like someone a lot and you don't feel like you're enough for them. I feel like that all the time. There's this girl I like..."

"Anya," Lexa said.

Raven just looked at her.

"How do you know? Did she tell you?"

Lexa shook her head.

"I recognise mating behaviour when I see it."

Raven laughed.

"Of course you do. Well I told her I just wanted to be casual, which means not have a relationship because she assumed I wouldn't want one but truth is, I was scared."

"Of what?"

"Of getting hurt," Raven said. "Of her moving on and finding someone better which she inevitably will. She's a bigshot business woman and I'm just the holiday romance."

Lexa put a hand on Raven's shoulder.

"No. You are Raven Reyes. Brave explorer of the jungle. Fierce like a jaguar. Here everyone seems to see their worth by how much they have and what others think is good for them. In the jungle the best mate is one who is the right fit, who will live by your side and fight with you to survive. I think you would be very good for my cousin and be a part of my family."

"Woah slow down, jungle woman. I'm not getting married."

Lexa smiled broadly now and patted Raven's head affectionately.

"Raven is already family," Lexa told her, slipping back into her old speech pattern.

Raven smiled and hugged Lexa who just patted her back.

  
Clarke didn't know what she was dreaming that night but she woke up sweating and afraid. She heard a thud as Lexa landed in through the window and as soon as she turned Lexa was there in the loose shirt and pyjama shorts she had taken to wearing.

"Clarke?"

Clarke reached for her forearm in an instant and grabbed hold, wanting something to ground her, something to keep her here. Lexa sat on the bed beside her and reached for her and Clarke lurched forward and wrapped her arms around Lexa.

Lexa seemed to sense that Clarke didn't want to talk and just held her.

"Do you want me to stay?" Lexa whispered, disrupting the silence.

Clarke buried her face in Lexa's neck.

"Yes," she whispered.

They both drew back as Lexa stood up and pulled back the covers and climbed in beside her. She drew the covers over them both and Clarke put her arm around Lexa's waist and snuggled into her, resting her head on Lexa's shoulder. Lexa brushed the hair back from Clarke's face in a soothing manner as the young woman just gazed back at her. Lexa exhaled and then leaned in to kiss Clarke with a gentleness the seemed the very opposite of her warrior like nature.

"I will protect you," Lexa whispered, rubbing her nose against Clarke's. "There's nothing to fear."

Clarke wanted to cry when she gazed into Lexa's eyes, not out of sadness but out of how wondrous Lexa was. Clarke wanted so much more than friendship with her. She wanted to worship every inch of her body.

"Lexa. What Titus said? Do you even want a mate? I mean what does that even mean to you?"

Lexa's hand stopped in her hair and the silence hung between them in the darkness.

"I do want a mate, someday. A mate for me is similar to what it is for you. Someone to share everything with. My mind, my body, my heart. In that way I am not similar to my jungle family. In that way I am like most humans. What do you want?"

_You_ Clarke thought desperately. _I want you more than I've ever wanted anything in my life._

Clarke didn't answer but reached up to capture Lexa's lips. They kissed softly in the middle of the night, the room almost completely dark save for the dimmed light of the lamp beside Clarke's bed.


	17. Bonded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Lexa get ready for the press event and we see what truly happened between them the night before. 
> 
> Warning - Contains Smut.

When Clarke sat down to breakfast the next morning, she smiled over at Lexa bashfully. Lexa did the same and they both lowered their eyes, trying not to be too obvious.

As soon as breakfast was over Clarke hurried over to Lexa in the hallway, her friends and Anya rushing past them, all in a hurry to be somewhere.

"About last night," Clarke said in a whisper. "You don't regret it do you?"

Lexa smiled. If there was one thing she was sure of it was that she didn't regret a single moment spent with Clarke. She shook her head and leaned in.

"Never," she whispered, placing a lingering kiss on Clarke's lips.

Their lips parted and they gazed at each other, unable to stop smiling as they both had fallen so utterly and completely.

  
The night before, Lexa was kissing Clarke. She was kissing Clarke in her bed, which had been her desire but not her intention when she had gone to comfort her after her nightmare.

And she wasn't stopping. Her body burned with desire. It quickened her heart like the thrill of a chase through the jungle, like swinging from the highest vine, but she wanted more.

She slipped a tongue into Clarke's mouth, tasting her and Clarke moaned into her. Lexa's left hand moved in Clarke's hair, her other on her hip, wanting to explore but not wanting to ask for something that might not be freely given.

Lexa pulled back suddenly, both of them out of breath as she hovered above the beautiful woman beneath her.

"I want more than this," Lexa whispered. "But only if you want to give me more."

Clarke was holding her breath. She knew what Lexa was telling her and she knew that Lexa had never had sex with anyone.

"I do want this, so much more than you know but are you sure? I don't want you to have any regrets."

Lexa half-smiled and her eyes flickered down to Clarke's.

"Never," she whispered. "I have wanted you for so long. I wanted to become worthy of you. to become like other humans so that you would be proud to call me a mate."

"The lessons? Leaving the jungle? Trying to fit in? Are you saying that you did all that for me?"

Lexa grazed the side of her face with softly, curled fingers, her knuckles barely a feather touch over her skin.

"If you want me Clarke, I am yours. I have always been yours."

"Lexa," Clarke whispered, reaching to touch her face, "I never needed any of that. I would always have been proud to call you a mate. I just wanted you to know where you came from. I wanted you to see what other life was possible."

"And what if I wanted to stay in the jungle?"

"Then live in the jungle. Do you want that?"

Lexa smiled down at her gratefully then shook her head.

"No. This is my home now."

Clarke trailed her fingertips down the side of Lexa's face, dancing over her soft, tan skin.

"All that matters to me is that you're happy. You don't need to change for me or for anyone Lexa. Not ever."

Lexa lowered her head, leaning in to Clarke's ear, hovering just inches away.

"Then let me make love to you. Let me be your mate, now and forever and I will be the happiest I could ever be."

Clarke sighed and it sent a ripple through Lexa's soul. She gazed into loving blue eyes, studying them as Clarke made the decision, on the precipice between disappointment or elation. She could see the exact moment that Clarke made up her mind and when Clarke's hand slipped around the back of her head and guided her mouth down to her own, Lexa didn't need ask what Clarke had decided.

  
Clarke had been nervous as she had pulled her shirt over her head. She could feel Lexa's eyes on her body and felt as if it was her first time all over again. It was her first time with Lexa and Lexa's first time and if she hadn't been so utterly crazy about Lexa she might have lost her nerve. Lexa slipped out of her shirt and placed it aside as they both sat up in the bed facing each other. Lexa got out of bed and slipped off her shorts and underwear and stood in front of Clarke expectantly.

Clarke's eyes lingered over Lexa's body. She was flawless. She had scars, marks that other people might call flaws but to Clarke she was flawless. Clarke had seen her naked before when Lexa had been more casual about her nudity, in the jungle when Lexa had been showering. She had thought of it more often than she should have, the image of her beautiful body with it's athleticism. Clarke worried about how Lexa saw her body. She was not as athletic. She didn't have muscles, she had curves. Lexa looked like an amazonian warrior. Clarke couldn't imagine that Lexa saw her in the same way.

And yet Lexa was staring, reaching out her hand to Clarke's belly curiously, as if was the first time she had ever seen it before and was waiting for permission.

"My body is not as-" Clarke started.

Lexa put a finger to Clarke's lips and hushed her and Clarke was transfixed by those rich green eyes and that different shades they embodied as the light hit them. Lexa reached out and placed a hand on Clarke's stomach, brushing her palm over it. She drew her hand around it and to her hips and curled her fingertips, drawing them up to skim over Clarke's skin, tracing the curves upwards all the way to her shoulders and then up along her neck to her jaw. Lexa lifted it up and kissed underneath and Clarke felt beautiful under her touch. Lexa kissed her softly, moving down the base of her throat, her hands skimming the sides of Clarke's breasts, gliding over them to massage them a little before moving back down to her hips.

Clarke closed her eyes as Lexa's lips hit a sweet spot on her neck and felt a gentle noise of satisfaction emerging from them, Lexa's slight breathy hum vibrating into her skin.

It had never been like this. Clarke had never experienced such tenderness and passion and desire. She used to think the words 'making love' romantic and silly but now she could think of no other words to describe what Lexa was doing to her. Lexa skimmed her fingers down to Clarke's thighs and palmed at them, running them along their outsides, sliding up to explore Clarke's body, palming her ass before slipping around to the front and slipping a hand between her legs. It was more curious than deliberate. Lexa was exploring her, learning every part of her. When she dipped inbetween her legs it was still like she was just figuring everything out. She had no experience but when her fingers moved over a certain bump and Clarke body twitched she began to listen to the rhythm of Clarke's desires. She played with it, caressing it, skimming around it and then drawing down and slipping in and drawing up again. Clarke's chest was tightening. Her breathing was deeper. Heavy and slow as if she had just run for many miles. Lexa listened and heard the pleasure in the sounds she made. She watched Clarke's body response to her touches, the way she closed her eyes so tightly. The way she clung to Lexa and cried into her neck, begging for more. Lexa decided that this was something more special than even she had anticipated for there was absolute trust in this, absolute vulnerability and it was brave to be this open with another person. It was so very brave and a privilege Lexa had never even imagined.

Clarke dug her fingers into Lexa's neck and Lexa found it so curious how pleasurable it seemed to be to Clarke. She watched every second of Clarke's orgasm as she cried desperately and her muscles became taut and relaxed entirely underneath her.

Lexa couldn't believe how much Clarke cried for release, how tightly she held onto Lexa. She rocked with Clarke as she held her through her throes of passion. Lexa held her and never wanted to let her go.

"I love you," she whispered, as Clarke recovered beneath her.

Clarke just wrapped her arms further around Lexa and held her closer.

"I love you," Clarke whispered. "So much. I love you so much."

Lexa blinked tears away and rested her head on Clarke's shoulder, holding her tightly, nuzzling against her with closed eyes and pressing a delicate kiss onto her skin there.

  
Anya was busy for most of the day, making sure everything was in order for the press event that evening. Clarke and Lexa dressed together in her room, Clarke lifting up Lexa's dress straps and adjusting the outfit. Lexa was wearing her hair unbraided and it was thick and luscious, reminding Clarke of how Lexa had looked the night before when she had been beneath her.

She'd taken it slowly with Lexa, kissing her all over her body. She had brushed over her breasts, cradling them one at a time, watching as Lexa's body reacted. Lexa had leaned into the touch and put her hand over Clarke's as if to keep it there and Clarke had just kissed the back of it and slipped down with her other hand to touch Lexa somewhere no one else had ever touched her. She heard Lexa gasp a little, as if surprised at how good it felt and Clarke began to pleasure her with her fingers, moving with more certainty and purpose than Lexa had. She gazed at Lexa, her sweet Lexa, as her throat bobbed and her mouth hung open with pleasure. Lexa cried out when Clarke slipped inside her but not with pain.

Clarke moved in and out slowly, studying Lexa's features, watching her unravel. The noises Lexa was making were purely animalistic and whiny and Lexa seemed to be enjoying it an awful lot. Clarke had wanted to slow the tempo, to make love to Lexa as sweetly as she had done to her but Lexa was having none of it as she gave in to her body's urges and rode her furiously. Clarke decided then that she knew what to do and sat up on the bed, bringing Lexa to straddle her.

"What are you-?" Lexa asked as Clarke's fingers slipped from her.

Clarke seated Lexa so that she was in the perfect position and Lexa didn't finish her sentence as Clarke began to move her body against Lexa's, controlling the rhythm now. She guided Lexa's hips against her own and Lexa closed her eyes and rocked against her.

"See? Slower," she whispered against Lexa's ear. "Like you did with me. Trust me it'll be better if we make this last."

Lexa just clung to her, burying her head in Clarke's shoulder and Clarke slipped her fingers inbetween Lexa's legs but at a much slower pace this time. Lexa gasped and Clarke took her time, finding the way to keep Lexa's extreme sensitivity from rushing the process.

Lexa moved slower against her this time, understanding now what Clarke had been showing her, that is was more pleasurable to let the feeling build and be sated in rhythmic waves. Clarke held her tightly and then lowered her back down so that she was on top of Lexa but keeping the same pace. She was ridiculously wet already. They both were. Even Clarke having been well satisfied found herself feeling more than ready for another round.

She brought her other hand to her own entrance and slipped in to pleasure herself only to find Lexa's hand taking it's place. As they pleasured each other Clarke didn't last long at all, already highly sensitive from previously and Lexa began to whimper and cast her head back as she tried to understand what her body desperately needed and how to achieve it. Clarke seemed to know exactly how to push her further and just when Lexa thought she would go mad if she didn't reach her climax soon, Clarke found the exact movements to get her there and she cried out. Clarke held her as she went through the experience for the first time with another person. Lexa reached blindly for her free hand and held onto it, entwining their fingers as her body all but exploded.

"Good?" Clarke asked softly.

Lexa just nodded, unable to form words as she caught her breath and Clarke withdrew and lay down beside her on her front, their hands no longer joined. She traced over Lexa's face tenderly, watching her recover, examining each feature like how Lexa had seen her do with works of art.

"Beautiful," Clarke just said, almost in a whisper. "So beautiful."

Clarke hugged into Lexa's side and wrapped an arm around her waist and Lexa turned on her side so that they were curled up together. She closed her eyes unaware that Clarke's face right in that moment bore a distinct but small smirk as she heard the faint purr coming from Lexa's throat that she was sure Lexa was unaware of. They fell asleep together, both of them knowing that they had crossed over a line that they couldn't return from and both completely comfortable with that knowledge. They were right together. They had always been right together and it had taken them both far too long to see it.

  
"So, are you gonna be okay with tonight? The press and everything?"

Lexa glanced in the mirror to meet Clarke's eyes as she fixed Lexa's dress and hair from behind. She had her hands on Lexa's shoulders, smoothing out the fabric.

"Yes. I'm not afraid. You'll be there."

"Always," Clarke whispered, pressing a kiss to Lexa's cheek.

Lexa turned and leaned in to kiss her on the lips. She pulled away just a few inches from Clarke, their bodies still close.

"Do I look presentable?"

Clarke smiled warmly.

"You look amazing, as always. Everyone will love you as much as I do. Well not quite as much as I do."

Clarke's eyes positively twinkled as she spoke and Lexa's shone back at her as she smiled.

"Come on. It's almost time. I'll be there the whole time."

She took Lexa's hand and Lexa picked up her speech notes with her free hand and followed Clarke ready to meet the world.


	18. I am Lexa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa gives her speech at the press conference and surprises everyone. Clarke gives Raven some advice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does anyone know what film the line about "chicks and horses" is from?

The press event and organising it was more stressful than Anya had anticipated. She searched for Lexa as the guests arrived, seeing no sign of her or Clarke. She saw Raven and Octavia standing together talking and the sight caught her attention. Raven was in a revealing and elegant white dress and Anya let herself be distracted for a few seconds. She was stunning in the outfit, her long, dark hair falling in loose, sleek waves down one shoulder.

Anya had been seeing more of Raven, usually they just had sex but she was intrigued by Raven who didn't ever seem to ask for anything from her.

She turned her head and saw Lexa enter with Clarke on her arm, Lexa all in black and Clarke in a blue, collared dress. It struck Anya not for the first time how in sync they seemed, how at ease with each other. If you didn't now any better you would think they were together.

Anya met Lexa's eyes to check that she had her speech notes and Lexa nodded, lifting up the notes in her free hand.

The room which was filled with people hushed as Lexa walked past.

  
"They are staring," Lexa said to Clarke as they moved through the crowd towards Raven and Octavia.

"They're curious. I don't think they were expecting you to be so stunning."

"Clarke!"

Clarke turned at the sound of her name to see her parents and the rest of the team, Indra, Lincoln and a few others with them.

"What are you doing here?" Clarke asked nervously, as her mom and dad rushed over to hug her. "I thought you were still working."

"We are," Abby said, "technically. Anya offered to fly us in for the press event. Didn't she tell you?"

"She's been very busy," Lexa said, glancing towards her cousin.

Abby smiled.

"Lexa. You look great and your English is great."

Clarke didn't know quite how to react as her mom gushed over Lexa.

"Hey kiddo," her dad said, from beside her. "Don't mind her. She's just trying to be supportive about you and Lexa."

Clarke shot an alarmed look at her dad and he winked but didn't say another word, leaving Clarke to process the knowledge that her parents had already figured everything out.

"Clarke, Clarke."

Clarke felt Octavia tugging her dress.

"What?"

"Who is that guy with your parents?"

Octavia was trying not to be obvious but was staring right at Lincoln as he talked to Indra.

"That's Lincoln. He was on the research team. He's really sweet."

"Yeah he is..." Octavia replied, unabashedly staring now. "Be right back."

Octavia made a beeline over to him and was striking up a conversation in seconds. Clarke shook her head and glanced to Lexa who was on the receiving end of Abby's cheerful attempts to seem supportive.

"Hey," she said, cutting inbetween them, "Can I borrow Lexa for a second?"

Lexa excused herself and Clarke took her hand and led her out into the garden to escape the crowds for a moment.

"What are they? Are they horses?" Lexa asked, when she saw the horses that had been brought in to the estate for the event and were in a large fenced area.

"Yeah," Clarke said. "Anya must've had them brought in at the last minute. She really put a lot of work into this."

Lexa wasn't listening, already moving towards the fence and hopping over to greet the animals. She took off her heels and discarded them in the grass and began to run with them gracefully, the horses taking to her right away. She didn't know what Lexa was communicating to them or how she managed to win over every animal she came into contact with but the horses were as enthralled with her as she was with them.

"What is it with chicks and horses, huh?" Clarke heard a loud man ask from behind as Lexa had developed a small audience of women who were fascinated with the display.

Clarke was lost herself, watching Lexa's leg muscles ripple as she ran back and forward, dancing with the creatures, her mane of hair flowing wildly behind her, whipping to the side each time she turned. Clarke leaned on the fence one hand propping up her head as she enjoyed how free Lexa seemed.

"On a scale of one to ten how hopeless are you for her?"

Clarke didn't glance at Raven who was now leaning beside her.

"Eleven," Clarke sighed. "She's amazing."

"I agree," Raven said. "I'm glad you finally sorted it out."

Clarke glanced at her, wondering how she knew and Raven just grinned.

"Come on Clarke. Look at your face. You're too obvious."

"And what about you and Anya?" Clarke asked.

She had not beeen oblivious to the weird vibe between them recently.

Raven shrugged.

"What about it? She doesn't seem to want anything but fun. Maybe she's even embarrassed of her booty calls with the working class latina girl. I don't know."

"I'm sure she isn't," Clarke said reassuringly. "I'm sure she just hasn't said anything because she thinks you just want to have fun. Maybe you should tell her how you feel."

Raven groaned.

"We haven't even been on a date. We've only hooked up a few times."

"But you like her," Clarke told her. "So maybe you could ask her out for a date."

Raven leaned forward on her arms grumbling to herself.

"Fine. But if she says no I'm blaming you personally. Oh shit. Don't look now."

Clarke turned and saw Finn Collins exiting the house. He stared at Lexa, his face an expression of absolute resentment.

"How did he get in? I know Anya wouldn't invited him."

"Must've came with a friend," Raven said. "Although I'm surprised he even has any."

Clarke rolled her eyes as she saw Finn joining the obnoxious group of men that had been commenting behind her.

"Well as long as he stays away from me I don't care."

It was at that time Anya came rushing out and scolded Lexa.

"What the hell Lexa?" she rasped. "You are about to give a speech. Put your shoes back on."

Lexa shot her a haughty look, stroking the side of one of the horses neck and murmouring to it before striding over to recover her shoes. She slipped them back on and easily climbed over the fence, stopping beside Clarke.

"You'll do fine," Clarke reassured her. "I'll be right there in the crowd."

Lexa nodded and then smiled, lowering her eyes. She lifted her head as Anya yelled again and she strode into the house and towards the small stage that had been erected in the grand hall.

"We better go inside. It's time for the speech," Clarke told Raven.

"Aww wanna be there for your new girlfriend," Raven joked. "Whipped already?"

"No just happily supportive and yes I wanna be there for my girlfriend."

Raven almost yelled in surprise at her words. Much as she teased Clarke, she hadn't thought it was really official yet.

"Come on then Griff. We can't keep our women waiting."

Raven grinned and held out her arm and they linked and walked back into the house.

  
Lexa walked up to the microphone with more eyes on her than she had ever had in her life. She felt nervous as she looked down at her prepared notes that Anya had so carefully checked and edited. But then she remembered Clarke's words about not needing to change for her or for anybody else. She caught sight of Clarke's face at the front of the crowd and Clarke smiled at her in encouragement and Lexa knew that whatever happened Clarke would stand by her and suddenly the speech seemed not to matter so much.

"My name is Alexandria Woods," she said, ignoring her notes. "I am the surviving daughter of Alexander Woods. I don't remember much about my parents. They died in the Amazon rainforest in Brasil and I survived in the jungle without them."

Lexa ignored Anya's alarmed face as she went completely into her own words.

"I was not alone. I lived with the animals who cared for me and it was my home but I always knew I was different and one day I met a young woman in the jungle who was in danger and protected her from harm."

Clarke's eyebrow raised slightly as she too realised that Lexa was going off script.

"I fell in love with her right away. She taught me to remember the English I had forgotten and many more things about life in your society and she was patient and kind and found a way to trace my remaining family, Anya Woods."

Anya was looking terrified now and absolutely tensed as Lexa continued with her speech.

"Anya has done everything to make me feel at home here and for that I am grateful but there are some people who wish me to forget where I grew up, people who think I don't understand what's best for me because of how I was raised. Those people are wrong."

Anya lowered her eyes thoughtfully at her words.

"I am Lexa, legend of the jungle. I playfight with jaguars. I run with wild dogs. I swing from the highest vines and make friends with the animals."

Lexa suddenly slipped off her shoes and threw them aside.

"I will give all of my shares to my cousin Anya who has worked hard for years in the business I am not interested in running."

Anya lifted her head in surprise.

"You may think me primitive," Lexa said. "But I am free and I am powerful and I will not change who I am for anyone."

Lexa glanced at Clarke who was beaming with pride at her words.

"To my teacher," Lexa added turning to Titus. "I only want one thing from you. I want you to leave our service and never return. Clarke showed me my father's diaries. I know that you bullied my mother because you thought my father's time too important to waste time on love. You drove them away trying to control them. You tried to do the same to me but you lied when you said that no one would be my mate unless I changed. Clarke loves me for who I am and I love her with all my heart. "

She gazed at Clarke and the audience turned to her as her eyes began to fill with tears of joy.

"Titus?" Anya asked. "Is this true?"

Titus just scowled in his black suit and Anya pointed to the security guards and asked them to escort him out, knowing that it was true.

The crowd applauded as Lexa walked down from the podium and rushed over to Clarke to bring her into a kiss. Clarke kissed her back, her heart filled with joy as cameras flashed around them.

Anya smiled at them but turned away and headed to her office.


	19. A Minor Inconvenience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anya feels guilty for not knowing about Titus. Raven and Anya talk and Finn causes a scene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Those who guessed the scene was from George of the Jungle were absolutely right. I love that film and it was the horse scene I was imitating from it.

Anya sat down at her desk while everyone else cheered for Lexa in the main hall. She put her head in her hands, ruffling them through her hair.

There was a gentle knock at the door as Raven entered but Anya only glanced at her.

"I'm a horrible person," Anya said, shaking her head. "I told her to put up with Titus. I kept him employed out of what? Some sense of duty and all the time he was the reason she was miserable before Clarke showed up."

"A. You are not a horrible person," Raven said, "you didn't know and B. a large part of her being miserable was because Clarke hadn't showed up."

Anya just buried her face in her hands and Raven headed over and sat herself on the desk in front of Anya.

"Come on, you didn't know what he was like and you've had a lot to deal with. Who has been taking care of every little thing around here?"

Anya lifted her head.

"Me," she muttered

"And who let Lexa redecorate and get a treehouse and adopt a bunch of animals? By the way you might have to build a stable after tonight. I have a feeling Lexa is going to want some horse friends around. But who did all that for her?"

Anya looked up at Raven now.

"I did."

"You're always taking care of everyone else Anya but you're not a superwoman. You can't be responsible for every bad thing that happens. Titus is the asshole and with how hard you work all the time, maybe you need to cut yourself some slack. You practically sleep in your office."

Anya gazed at Raven thoughtfully. She knew that she was overworking but it was hard to slow down when everyone was depending on her. Now that she had the majority share maybe it wouldn't be such an uphill battle against Nia all the time. Nia might even let her buy out the rest now that she knew there was no chance of getting Lexa's share of the company for herself which Anya was in doubt that she had planned for.

"You look beautiful," Anya told her. "I didn't get a chance to tell you."

Raven grinned.

"Thanks so do you. Hey while we are in here alone, I have something to ask you. Clarke might have suggested that this thing we're doing, that I might want it to be more."

Anya looked alarmed now.

"You want a relationship with me?"

"Woah slow down there," Raven said. "I was going to ask you out on a date."

Anya started laughing suddenly.

"A date! We've had sex more times than I can count since you got here. Most of them right here on this desk."

Raven smiled and ran her hands over the desk.

"I like this desk," she said. "We've had some good times but yeah a date."

Raven went quiet suddenly and Anya frowned, tilting her head curiosly as Raven picked the wood on the desk and her lower lip pouted thoughtfully.

"I'm not laughing because I don't want to date you. I'm just surprised. You said multiple times that this was just fun."

Raven rolled her eyes as if annoyed at herself for saying that in the first place.

"Yeah well. You are rich and I didn't think you'd wanna date someone like me so I thought it would be simpler but Clarke might've pointed out that I wasn't being honest about my feelings... for you."

Anya's eyes widened.

"You have feelings for me?" she asked softly. "I had no idea. I thought it was all one-sided."

Raven looked up sharply.

"Wait? You have feelings for me?"

"I might have developed a certain fondness for you that could be called feelings."

Raven grinned and shook her head.

"Geez you're worse than me at this romantic stuff. So what now?"

Anya seemed a little nervous suddenly but smiled at Raven.

"Well. How about we start with the date?"

"Mmm 'Kay," Raven said. "That doesn't mean sex is off the table until the third date does is?"

"Hell no," Anya said, placing a hand on Raven's thigh just under her dress.

"I'll lock the door while you get undressed," Raven said, rushing to her feet. "The toy's still in the drawer like last time right?"

"Yep," Anya grinned, pulling her dress over her head as quickly as she could.

"Good," Raven said locking the door and grinning back at her, "because you are really in need of some stress relief right now."

Anya just played along with her roleplay thrilled at where this conversation was going.

"I really am very stressed. So much that I might need a lot of relief today."

Raven just smirked and reached for the locked top drawer of her desk.

  
Lexa and Clarke were dancing in the grand hall, the press having talked to them for ages, cameras flashing around them, people asking for them to pose together. After a while the press began to calm, having got everything they were there for and they were dancing with all the other couples, Lexa leading the way. Of course Lexa was a good dancer. Clarke wasn't even surprised. She was just good at everything. Clarke leaned into her, feeling mildly drunk but not from the alcohol.

"You did great today. I am so proud of you," she murmoured.

Lexa smiled, her hands on Clarke's waist.

"You helped me. I was thinking of what you said to me before we mated last night. It didn't feel right to read Anya's words as my own."

Clarke nodded in understanding.

"Well they all love you."

"Not like you love me," Lexa teased.

Clarke grinned and leaned in to kiss her on the lips.

"This is a travesty!"

The familiar voice rang out loud across the grand hall and Clarke groaned when she recognised it. Her and Lexa turned along with the rest of the room to see Finn holding the microphone.

"This beast from the jungle tried to kill me. She is to be feared not celebrated."

Clarke lost her patience with him right there and then and answered back.

"Because you were holding a gun Finn. She was trying to protect everyone from you."

"She has been bewitched by this creature. I was engaged to Clarke and she stole her from me!"

Clarke shook her head and Lexa growled under her breath.

"We were never engaged! We barely even dated. God Finn, can't you take no for an answer. I've tried to be polite but this has gone too far."

Finn's fragile ego seemed to be unable to cope with it at that moment because he rushed for Clarke and grabbed her arm as if to show the crowd that she was his. Lexa reacted immediately and pushed him back and he scrambled to his feet pointing at her and addressing them all.

"See! She is vicious. We must protect Clarke from her. She is dangerous."

Clarke glanced at Lexa who was circling him slowly but was absolutely calm. Finn lunged for her and she dodged, quick as a cat. He grabbed an empty champagne bottle from a nearby table and swung it at her. Lexa ducked and dodged and spun out of each attack as Finn completely lost it. She did a handspring away from him, her arms and legs twirling in the air gracefully.

He swung at her blindly and she knocked his hand, sending the champagne bottle high into the air, kicking him in the stomach and sweeping his legs out from under him. She caught the bottle just an inch from his nose and Finn was on his back frozen in terror.

She carefully put the bottle back on the table and backed away.

"Clarke has made her choice," Lexa said. "Violence will not change that."

Finn was out of breath and his clothes and hair were both a mess now. He looked a polar opposite to Lexa who was a picture of composure. The press saw it all and none of it made Lexa looked bad at all.

Finn panted for a few seconds as if thinking about his options as Lexa turned her back on him. Clarke's eyes widened as he rushed Lexa, making yet another monumental mistake in a very long line of mistakes. Lexa simply turned this time and punched him straight in the face. Finn went down, knocked out instantly and Lexa turned away.

Anya suddenly appeared, rushing into the scene with Raven, both of them looking suspiciously a little less neat than they did before they had just happened to disappear together.

"What happened here?" she asked frantically.

Raven suddenly reached to rub a bit of her lipstick from Anya's cheek and Clarke's eyes widened and she grinned. Lexa glanced over them with suspicion too.

"You two have been mating just now? Good for you cousin. I only just had my first experience with that last night and it was incredibly enjoyable."

Clarke blushed and Raven's jaw dropped.

"Last night?!!" Raven exclaimed. "Way to go Griff and Lexa!"

"Er Lexa..." Clarke said. "Remember what we said about private information."

Lexa glanced at her and frowned.

"I'm sorry. I don't understand why your culture has such sensitivity with the topic. Sometimes I forget."

Clarke rubbed Lexa's back reassuringly.

"I know you do. We'll have a good discussion about it later if you want me to explain more."

Lexa looked in Clarke's eyes sheepishly and nodded and Clarke couldn't resist kissing her again.

"Can we focus on what's important here?" Anya demanded, "like why Finn Collins is unconscious on our floor."

"I'm more interested in what happened last night!" Raven joked. "Damn... you kept that quiet."

"Raven," Anya scolded.

Raven glanced at Lexa, both of them looking as confused as each other.

"They are very sensitive about it aren't they?" Lexa said to Raven.

"I know right. What's the big deal?"

Lexa shrugged and Raven just turned her head.

"He grabbed me and attacked Lexa with a bottle. She was very restrained but she had to knock him out."

Anya glanced at Clarke, grateful for an explanation finally.

"I see. I'm gonna have to have a word with security. They should have stepped in."

Anya strode off, already on her cellphone trying to find them and Lexa started picking food from the buffet and piling it roughly on a plate and the room seemed to return to normal as security guards came and carried Finn out of the place.

"So... last night huh?" Raven asked, sidling alongside Clarke with a grin.

Clarke shot a look at Raven. She knew that there was no way Raven was gonna leave her alone until she spilled the beans to her. She was just glad Octavia was too distracted with Lincoln to be questioning her.

Clarke checked her phone she and saw that Octavia had texted her already.

Octavia: You took Lexa's virginity!!!!

Clarke just shook her head and put the phone back in her clutch purse, smiling as she saw Lexa flick up a small piece of ridiculously expensive food and catch it in her mouth. God she was so in love.

"Hey, hey focus Griff," Raven said, as she still badgered Clarke with questions. "Stop gawping at your girl and spill."


	20. The Honeymoon Period

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Lexa start their life together and we fastforward to five years later.

Six Months Later

"Lexa! We have to get up sometime."

Lexa shook her head and lay it on Clarke's shoulder as they lazed together naked in their bed.

Little Onca suddenly jumping onto the bed and meowed at them.

"See even she thinks its time to get up. Come on. I'm hungry."

"Just five more minutes," Lexa said, "I promise."

The last six months had been heaven for Clarke. She had ending up moving in with Lexa as Anya wanted to live somewhere nearer to the company anyway. Now that she had full control, she seemed more at ease and her and Raven had just talked about moving in after dating for quite a while. Lexa and Clarke now lived in the Woods family home with more adopted animals than Lexa could count and Clarke couldn't be happier.

Five minutes later they were dressed and Lexa was jumping on the banister wearing a loose shirt and long jean shorts and sliding down to the bottom ahead of Clarke. Clarke just chuckled, descending the stairs in a comfortable sun dress.

When she got to the bottom she noticed that the house had been filled with flowers, her favourite reddish-pink orchids, just like the one Lexa had given her before she had left Brazil with Anya.

"What is this?"

Lexa smiled and put a black blazer over her shirt as if to make herself look more formal.

"Our wedding day?" Lexa said, quirking her eyebrow up.

Clarke just blinked. They had talked about it but she had not expected it at all.

"Lexa! You are supposed to ask first," Clarke said with a chuckle.

"I asked if you would want that and you said yes so I arranged this as a surprise. The others are all in the grand hall waiting if you still want to."

Clarke drew her into a kiss, unable to stop from smiling.

"I should be so mad but I'm too excited. Wait I should get changed. I need to do my hair."

Lexa shook her head and put her hands through Clarke's hair.

"You don't need to change anything. It's just our friends and family in there. This is just for us."

Clarke took Lexa's hands.

"Okay then. Let's do this. I don't want to wait."

Lexa gazed at Clarke with absolute love in her eyes and the led a very excited Clarke into the grand hall.

  
Clarke and Lexa married in front of their friends and family in the Woods family home on an impulse. The ceremony was simple and no press had been invited and neither of them even hesitated.

For their honeymoon Lexa had booked them on a first class flight to Brazil. She lazed back on the flight as Clarke talked to her all about the ancient art styles in South America.

When they landed and were out of the plane, Lexa sniffed the air and closed her eyes. It was so familiar. Everything was. Clarke took her hand, both carrying light backpacks and Lexa ran straight for the nearest patch of jungle she could find. The second she was close enough she found a vine and swung herself up, holding Clarke up by her waist as they disappeared into the jungle for as long as they wished to.

  
Five Years Later

Madi was just twelve years old when she walked up to the Woods family home and buzzed the gate. It was large and intimidating, far grander than Madi had even imagined. A woman in her late twenties opened the door, a blonde wearing a business suit.

"Is Alexandra Woods here?" she asked.

Anya narrowed her eyes.

"Who are you?"

"Oh," the girl said wiping her hand on her jeans and holding it out to her, "I'm Madi. I need to find her. It's important."

Anya frowned and looked the girl up and down. She was dressed in just jeans and a black t-shirt with some band name on she didn't recognise and a wore a short leather jacket. Her hair was dark and her eyes were blue and there was something familiar about the way she smiled. Anya stepped aside and let her in.

Madi glanced around the place in awe.

"You have a lot of pets don't you?"

Anya just glanced at her.

"My cousin likes animals. They aren't pets to her. She isn't here right now. She sometimes lives here, sometimes in Brazil. They come and go."

"They?"

"Her and her wife."

Madi raised her eyebrows.

"Oh. I didn't know she was married."

"It was a very private ceremony. Now what is this about?"

Madi took in a deep breath.

"I think that Lexa is my biological sister."

Anya just stared at her wide eyed.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"It's hard to explain. There were experiments and dna. She's not my sister as such but I was created partly from her parents dna. Her parents sent it to my guardian, the one who raised me and used it to make me."

Anya was lost for words.

"You're... are you saying you're a...?"

"A Woods? Technically yes. It was one of their experiments my guardian Luna continued after they left. She was their best friend and a scientist too and she promised to continue their work."

"That's- that's not even legal is it?"

Madi shook her head and Anya put a hand to her own forehead and closed her eyes.

"I need to sit down," she said.

"Hey babe, what's wrong?" Raven asked, sauntering into the room. "Who is this?"

Anya moved her hand and opened her eyes.

"Lexa's sister apparently."

Raven laughed thinking it a joke but stopped when she saw how serious Anya was.

"No. It's not possible. She's too young."

"I have proof," Madi said, swinging her backpack off her shoulder and unzipping it. "Documents."

She produced a file and handed it to Anya who flicked it open immediately. One of the cats, little Baya meowed at Madi and she reached out her hand and stroked it.

"It's true," Anya said, looking up. "We have to tell Lexa."

"Can we even get in contact with them? You know how those two disappear."

Anya glanced up at Raven. Raven was right. They would have to go and search for them theirselves. Lexa and Clarke disappeared for months at a time and no one could get hold of them.

"Why now?" Anya asked the girl. "Why wait all this time?"

Madi frowned and Anya couldn't help but see the family resemblance.

"Well... no one was ever supposed to know. It was supposed to stay secret but I'm in trouble and so is Lexa. I need to warn her."

Anya and Raven both glanced at each other, knowing full well that anyone who went looking for Lexa to cause trouble would get more than they bargained for.

"I'll try and get hold of Abby and Jake," Raven said. "Maybe they have an idea where she is."

"Thanks."

Anya took a breath and then put her hands on the young girl's shoulders.

"Okay. Start from the beginning. I want to know everything."

Madi looked into Anya's eyes and then nodded slowly.


	21. Strangers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Lexa are enjoying their free time together when Madi, Anya and Raven show up in the jungle.

Clarke bit into the fruits she had picked, leaning back against a tree as Lexa swam in a hidden, natural pool ducking under the water and back up, throwing her braided hair back.

She emerged from the water in only a white shirt and long canvas shorts and made her way over to Clarke, throwing herself down on the bank beside her. Clarke held out the fruit and Lexa leaned in and took a bite as they shared their food.

"You should come in. It's warm."

"No thanks," Clarke said. "The last time had you wrestling a caiman to save me. I'll stick with the ones I know are safe."

Lexa laughed.

"This one is safe Clarke. I would protect you."

Clarke turned her head and smiled at her and Lexa returned the smile, still very much in love with her wonderful wife.

"I know you would."

Lexa wrapped her arms around Clarke's waist and hugged her tight.

"Ai niron," Lexa muttered.

Clarke had become very used to Lexa slipping into her old manner of speaking when she was tired. Sometimes she reverted back to her jungle mannerisms and secretly Clarke loved her all the more for it.

"I still haven't managed to fix the satellite phone. Do you think we should head back to civilisation for a while and call our friends and family?"

Lexa lifted her head and smiled.

"If you wish Clarke."

Clarke leaned in and kissed her and pushed her over onto her back. In seconds, Lexa had flipped her and they were wrestling playfully and laughing.

When they stopped they were side by side gazing into each other's eyes adoringly and reaching to hold hands.

"Well head to town tomorrow and let them know we're still okay," Clarke muttered. "Not tonight though. I want you all to myself tonight."

Lexa just stared back at her with a smile and then they drew towards each other and began to strip off their clothes to make love to each other.

  
Madi had gotten off the plane in Brazil and guided into the jungle with Raven leading the way. Anya seemed to defer to her expertise and when asked where they were headed, Raven just said, one of their favourite spots.

"We're here," Raven said, pointing up to the treehouse. "I'll climb up and leave a message in case they pass through and then we'll setup at the old camp site."

"Treehouse?" Madi exclaimed. "Can't I see?"

Raven glanced at Anya who shook her head.

"It's too high up. There isn't even a ladder. I'm gonna have to climb the trees to get in."

Madi pulled a face but Anya stood her ground as Raven began to make a harness to get herself safely up the tree. It took her quite some time to climb, Anya warning her to be careful and then when she got the ground again she was out of breath.

"Lexa makes it look so easy," Raven muttered. "But I left a note. Looks like they haven't been back in a while."

Raven paused when she heard a gun click and they were faced with a small militia with their faces covered.

"Hand over the girl," one of them growled.

Raven held up her hands and Anya stepped in front of Madi.

"What do you want with her?"

"Just hand her over!"

Before they could respond a loud roar came from behind them and the men turned in fear but saw nothing. Another roar came and they spun again.

Something hit one of them in the back and knocked the gun from him, swinging away with it. When the others turned, another one was hit and then another and another until the last one was down. Anya and Raven glanced at each other as Lexa landed on the ground with a thud.

"This way," she said, glancing at Anya, Raven and Madi.

Madi's mouth hung open as Lexa walked with them into the jungle, leading them to a safer area that the men would not easily find. Clarke was there leaning against a tree with her sketchpad rather casually.

"You didn't bring back any more fruit this time?" Clarke said as Lexa appeared, not even fully looking up. "Wasn't that what you went out for?"

When Raven, Anya and Madi appeared Clarke looked up in surprise. Lexa just stood there calmly.

"There was trouble," Lexa said. "There was no time."

"Militia groups again?" Clarke asked. "Hey Anya, hey Raven."

Lexa nodded. They had been avoiding the groups more and more. They seemed to be American and they'd steered clear of them so far.

Raven rushed forward and hugged her friend and Lexa bear hugged her cousin.

"This is Madi," Anya explained, "and we have a lot to explain."

Lexa frowned and leaned in to sniff Madi, circling her.

"Um, what is she doing?"

"She's family?" Lexa asked, raising an eyebrow.

Anya glanced at her as Clarke's eyebrows shot up.

"She's your sister apparently. I know it doesn't make sense because your parents died before she was born but it's true. Like I said, a lot to explain."

Lexa reached for to put an arm around Clarke's waist for comfort, a little unsure of what was happening.

"Do we need to move before the militia find us?" Clarke asked Lexa, distracting her with more practical issues.

Lexa nodded and Clarke started packing away their things into their rucksacks.

"Come on," she said to the others. "We'll have to talk and walk at the same time."

She handed Lexa her rucksack and put her own on her back, adjusting the straps.

As they walked through the jungle Anya explained who Madi was but rather than seem excited, Lexa stayed close to Clarke and seemed oddly distracted.

"Are you okay?" Clarke whispered. "It's a lot to take in."

Lexa glanced over her shoulder at Madi.

"It is. I don't know the custom for this."

Clarke smiled.

"I don't think there is one but I'm here. We'll figure it out together. You and Madi just need to get to know each other."

Lexa inhaled and then nodded slowly. She took Clarke's hand and they walked together.

"Doesn't she like me?" Madi asked Anya.

"I'm sure she's just a bit surprised. She barely remembers her parents. She was raised in more - unorthodox circumstances than most. Don't worry."

Madi frowned at her older sister not sure what she had expected. A hug? A friendly greeting. Lexa had leapt from the trees like a superhero and Madi had expected her to give her a big smile and welcome her with open arms. Her whole life had been spent with Luna and she was so focussed on her work, she hadn't been the most attentive guardian. Madi hadn't even been allowed to go to school.

The other woman Clarke had been much nicer to her. She had smiled pleasantly back at her when she caught Madi watching Lexa and yet it was her sister whose attention she desperately wanted. 


	22. Conflicted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa dreams of her birth mother as the group are attacked and have to flee.

Lexa awoke in the middle of the night in the large, sleeping bag she shared with Clarke. She had been dreaming of her parents, remembering her mother reassuring her that the tests didn't hurt. They had given her the nightblood. Lexa knew it was unusual. Clarke's own mother had been studying it's medical properties for several years. She had told Lexa that it was remarkable, that her parents had succeeded in creating something extraordinary but that it was not the cure they thought it was but rather a way of creating a resistance to disease.

Lexa glanced down at Clarke and brushed her hair back from her face and kissed her on the cheek. She quietly unzipped the side and slipped out, closing it back up and exiting their tent.

She climed up into a tree and sat up high, gazing at the crescent of the moon, listening to the sounds of the jungle at night as she had so many times before.

She heard something close by and saw Anya and Raven exit their tent, arguing.

"You have to tell them what you know," Raven urged. "It's Wallace. You know it is."

"Rae... I don't have any proof," Anya replied, gesturing with her hands. "It's just a suspicion."

"Only because you wouldn't let me hack in and find out. I know I could get in."

Anya put her hand on Raven's shoulders.

"And risk you getting caught? No way. I love you. I can't let that happen."

Raven pouted but Anya just shook her head.

"That won't work on me. It's illegal and we couldn't even use it in court if we did find out he was behind the threats. We have to do this the right way. Trust me."

Raven put her head down in frustration.

"Fine but if I ever see that Wallace guy again, I can't promise not to punch the asshole."

Lexa leapt down and landed near them and they both turned.

"Who is Wallace? How did he threaten you?"

Anya and Raven both glanced at her in surprise.

"We don't know that it was him."

Lexa tilted her head to one side as if to say that she was to wait until they told her the truth, her jaw slightly clenched.

"Cage Wallace. He took over his father's firm Mount Weather, a big pharmaceutical firm. He's indicated that he wants access to Woods Inc's medical research sector and tried to make a deal. I blocked it but he's suggested more than once that I might not want to stand in his way."

"She's been getting threatening phone calls," Raven told Lexa. "Trying to intimidate her into putting the research sector up for auction but she won't report it. It's got to be him."

"Or one of the many other ruthless CEO's who try to scare me into giving them what they want. I'm not easily intimidated and I can't call the cops every time someone tries to do so."

Raven pouted again and glanced away and Lexa could tell that this was an argument they'd had more than once. She was about to give Anya her reassurance that it would not happen again when they heard a yell and saw an even larger and more heavily armed militia than the last one charging towards their camp.

Lexa's eyes widened.

"Go and warn Clarke and Madi," Lexa ordered. "I'll hold them off."

Anya just stared at her.

"Go!" Lexa urged.

Raven grabbed Anya who was hesitating and headed towards the tents. Each of them separated. Anya heading for Madi and Raven for Clarke.

  
Clarke awoke to Raven shaking her and yelling for her to run. She dressed quickly and grabbed her bag and rushed out of the tent. The first sight she saw was Lexa taking out numerous gunmen in the dark and then they started shooting randomly at the trees and her heart lurched with fear.

Lexa!

She was in danger and Clarke wanted to run towards her but then Anya thrust Madi towards her and told her to take her to safety and that she would get Lexa.

Clarke hesitated but then took Madi's hand and ran into the jungle, glancing back over her shoulder, trying desperately not to think about all the gunshots and if Lexa might be hurt.

When the gunfire ceased, it went eerily quiet and Clarke ran with Madi into the dark.

"We have to go back! We have to help them!" Madi cried after a while, pulling her hand away in anger.

"No," Clarke said, "they will find us. It's too dangerous. Lexa can handle it."

"And Anya and Raven?"

Clarke was full of doubt, fearful beyond measure for all three of the women but she knew that they had to keep moving and that Lexa would want her to protect Madi first.

"They can handle theirselves but we can't right now and it's not just them. There are dangers everywhere here. Lexa knows how to navigate them better than anyone out there. Raven does too. Do you?"

Madi looked up into Clarke's eyes and shook her head and followed Clarke without further question.

  
Lexa snarled as she took down, one attacker after another. She kept them distracted until Raven had dragged Anya to safety and Clarke and Madi would be far enough away. She slipped away, leading the remaining attackers in the other direction, a bullet nicking the outside of her left arm. She reached up and grabbed a vine and swung high out of their reach.

  
"Let me go back!" Anya yelled as Raven hauled her away.

"She's in danger. They're shooting her!"

"They won't catch her. Us they will catch. We have to move. I know which way Clarke and Madi went. Lexa will follow Clarke. You know she will."

Anya stopped struggling, realising that Raven was right.

  
Lexa caught up to Clarke and Madi some time later who had made their way to the treehouse and landed with fatigue on the platform. She was still bleeding and her arm hurt now and Clarke rushed to her immediately.

"You're hurt! Anya? Raven?"

Lexa glanced at her, sitting back against the wall as Madi watched.

"They escaped. I led them away."

Clarke immediately pulled out her first aid kit and began to tend to Lexa's wound.

"You are a nightblood too?" Madi asked, as Clarke wrapped her arm in bandages.

Lexa glanced at her curiously.

"Yes. My parents tested their cure on me. Yu laik natblida?"

"Huh?"

Lexa shook her head. She was fatigued and she had forgotten that only Clarke understood her other manner of speaking.

"You are a nightblood too?"

Madi nodded, searching through her backpack for something to eat.

"There's food stashed in that box over there," Clarke told Madi without looking.

As Madi was distracted by her hunger, Clarke leaned in to Lexa.

"I thought I'd lost you. I had to keep Madi safe. I knew that's what you would want but I wanted to go back for you."

Lexa turned her head and gazed into Clarke's light blue eyes.

"I know. You protect children first. Always. It's the way of nature."

Clarke looked deeply conflicted as she gazed back into those green eyes and Lexa knew what concerned her. Lexa had gotten hurt and Clarke blamed herself for not going back for her.

"You did not do this," Lexa whispered, shaking her head. "They were after us. Me and her."

Lexa nodded towards Madi.

"I heard them talking. They are chasing us."

"It has to be about your blood. Mom has kept the research completely secret since Woods Inc hired her for the medical research department but I know it's special."

"Anya has been getting threats. A man named Cage Wallace has been trying to get her to sell your mother's department."

Clarke frowned.

"Really? That can't be a coincidence. You know what else can't be? That she showed up just before all the trouble. Maybe we should see what she knows about it."

Lexa glanced at Madi, her lips pressed together thoughtfully. She was just a child.

"Maybe we should ask her."

"Tomorrow though," Clarke urged. "You need to heal first. Raven will take Anya to hide out with one of her relatives."

Lexa nodded. It was already getting dark and fighting had exhausted her. She leaned on Clarke's shoulder, her eyes closing.

"You rest. I'll take care of your little sister."

Lexa smiled suddenly.

"I dreamt of my mother last night, my birth mother and she looked like Madi. She has her eyes and her smile."

"She looks like you," Clarke said. "Not completely but in her mannerisms and her smile. So I guess you both have your mother's smile."

Lexa smiled broadly now but Clarke could see she was badly in need of a rest.

"Rest," Clarke urged again softly. "I promise no matter what happens I will take care of Madi."

Lexa guided Clarke towards her and kissed her, wrapping her arms around her. When they pulled apart, she lay down on the blanket that she used to sleep with when she lived there and rolled over onto her side.

"Is she okay?" Madi asked, half way through munching her food. "It's not even late."

"She's just tired," Clarke said. "She'll be fine. Do you want to hear a story?"

Madi nodded and shuffled forward.

"Tell me about when you and Lexa first met. Raven said she rescued you from a jaguar! It sounds totally badass!"

Clarke chuckled.

"Well it's incredibly rare even to see a jaguar and Lexa just happened to know that particular one and he wouldn't have hurt me but I didn't know that."

Clarke began to relate the tale of how they met as Madi listened intently, interrupting with questions from time to time.

Lexa opened one eye every now and them and glanced at them both, privately smiling.


	23. The Hunter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cage Wallace calls in backup and Clarke and Madi end up in a difficult situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone for the nice comments. Hope you enjoy the chapter.

Clarke awoke to Lexa shaking her gently.

"Time to head out?" she asked.

"Yes," Lexa replied. "We should wake Madi."

The sun was just coming up and streaming into the treehouse through the trees. Clarke woke the sleeping child and Lexa swung Clarke and then Madi out of the treehouse as they headed back through the jungle.

  
Cage Wallace slammed his desk with his palm as soon as he put down the phone. They had escaped. How many people did he have to hire to get hold of the two girls?

He picked up the phone again after a sigh.

"It's Wallace. We need more firepower. Send in The Hunter."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Nia asked. "As effective as The Hunter is, your cargo might not arrive in one piece."

"Nothing else is working," Cage told her "and I'm losing my patience."

Nia scowled but did not correct him beginning to seriously question her decision to try to ally with Cage. If needs be she would keep her hands clean and let him do all the dirty work and hope it turned out in her benefit.

"So am I," she replied getting to her feet. "Tell me if anything changes. My resources are at you disposal but keep my name out of it."

Cage sneered as she left. If she thought him loyal she was a fool. He would use her resources as needed and then pin the blame on her if necessary.

_Two birds one stone_ he thought. _You should never have trusted me Nia._

  
Lexa was careful when she headed through the jungle with Clarke and Madi. She listened to every sound, checked every trail to avoid their attackers and took them through some of the most remote parts of the jungle where few people, besides her, had ever ventured.

So when she heard the gun click as she was in the trees above Clarke and Madi, she froze in surprise.

"Where is Lexa?" an unfamiliar voice asked.

Lexa could just see the attacked and a veritable mini army of armed gunmen surrounding Clarke and Madi.

"I have no idea," Clarke said. "Your people shot at her and we ran in the opposite direction. For all I know you shot her!"

The woman holding the gun nodded to her warriors to take the two girls hostage. Then she turned and looked up into the trees.

"I know you're out there jungle woman. I hear your a legend out here. Well they call me Ontari the Hunter and you are going to give yourself up in three days. If you don't..."

Ontari pointed the gun at Clarke's head and Lexa snarled to herself.

"Your wife will pay the price. Three days Nightblood. That's all you get."

Lexa eyed the woman, wanting nothing more than to leap out and attack her and rescue her family but something instinctive told her that Ontari was more dangerous than any of the others she had faced. She had dark hair and dark eyes and appeared fairly harmless. She was a young, attractive women that someone might easily overlook but something about her manner was unnerving. Lexa recognised it. Ontari was a predator but her hunt was not just for food but for sport. She enjoyed it.

Lexa just had to watch helplessly as they were taken away.

  
Ontari's people took Clarke and Madi to a boat and shut them below deck as they travelled down the Amazon.

Clarke's and Madi hands were untied as the door opened and Ontari entered and sat down across from them at the table..

"We aren't going to tell you anything," Clarke said.

Ontari waved her hand and had three plates put down before each of them.

"Of course not. Can't we just have a civilised dinner?"

Clarke wondered if Ontari wasn't a little insane.

"You know she's going to kill you right?" Clarke asked her. "Sucks to be you right now."

Ontari picked up her knife and fork acting unphased as Clarke eyed the steak knife in front of her and tried to sneak it into her sleeve. Ontari grabbed her arm, glaring at her threateningly. She took the knife from her and placed it down on the table.

"The next time you try that, it won't end well."

She turned to Madi who had been reaching for her knife and glared and Madi drew back, knowing that Ontari meant it.

"Are you even going to tell us what you want with Lexa?"

"You already know," Ontari said, placing a napkin on her lap. "Her blood. My employer thinks that it's a very valuable asset and I'm not going to let them down."

Clarke should've been afraid but somehow she wasn't. She knew that Lexa was out there and just what she was capable of when someone threatened those she loved.

"Tell me Clarke, how is it that someone as pretty as you would come to fall for some primitive wild woman? You seem well educated and intelligent enough. I'm sure you could do better."

Clarke narrowed her eyes, deeply unimpressed. Was Ontari flirting with her? She seemed to gaze over Clarke as if she wanted her for herself, like she was some prize to be gained.

"There is no one better than Lexa," she said calmly meeting Ontari's eyes. "You'll understand that soon enough."

Ontari glared at her but didn't reply right away, her anger evident. Clarke could see how her body tensed and how she gripped her fork as if to contain her desire for violence. Ontari stood up and grabbed Clarke's by the hair roughly holding the knife to her throat.

"You have a lot of faith in her but you don't know what I will do to her. It might be in your best interest to stay on my good side if you want to survive this."

Clarke remained absolutely still as Ontari let her go and moved away. Clarke forced herself to stay calm knowing that Madi was beside her and must be scared.

"And what do you think of your big sister?" Ontari asked. "You probably think she's some sort of action hero don't you?"

"I think you just made the biggest mistake of your life kidnapping her wife," Madi said with defiance.

Clarke smirked and Ontari pulled her napkin off and threw it on the table and walked out.

"She will save us," Clarke said, "if we don't save ourselves first."

"She's barely spoken to me," Madi said with a note of disappointment. "Ontari called her my big sister but we don't even know each other."

Clarke turned to Madi.

"You will Madi. Lexa didn't grow up with people. You have to remember that she won't always act how she's expected to."

Madi didn't seem convinced.

"Do you know that you look like her mom?" Clarke continued. "She said you have the same eyes and the same smile."

"Really?" Madi asked with a smile. "I wish I could have known them."

"Well, we are going to be stuck her for some time I think. Maybe we could get to know each other. I mean how did you grow up? Anya said you had a guardian?"

"Luna," Madi said. "She was the scientist who created me from their dna. She was okay but she didn't exactly know how to be a parent. Half the time I took care of her not the other way around."

"So what made you leave and come and find Anya?"

Madi sighed and it reminded Clarke of Lexa so much that she smiled.

"Luna was afraid someone knew about what our blood could do. Someone hacked all of her files and it wasn't safe for me there anymore. I thought Lexa might just help if she knew and I wanted to meet her. I never had family."

Clarke reached for Madi's hand.

"Well now you do. I promise you when we get out of this, you'll get to know each other."

Madi glanced up at her.

"Are you scared?"

"A little," Clarke admitted, "but we'll get through this. Trust me. Ontari has no idea what she's facing."

  
Lexa sat alone that night in the darkness, tearing her shirt until it was just a small piece of fabric around her breasts. She mashed up several plants and berries until she had a black paint-like substance and wiped it across her face, covering her eyes with a black mask and dragging lines down under them. Lexa sharpened her dagger and practised throwing it, hitting her mark even in the darkness. She retrieved it and gripped it in her hand with a snarl.

Lexa stood up tall and focussed on the direction where she knew Ontari had taken Clarke and Madi ready for war.


	24. War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa moves to save Clarke and Madi from Ontari.

The day was eerily calm when Clarke and Madi were dragged out to the top of the boat because Ontari was feeling chatty. This had been happening for two days. They had been prisoner and Ontari dragged them out to socialise, forced them to eat dinner with her and inevitably grew angry when they didn't seem impressed with her efforts.

"So much for your hero," Ontari said, gazing out into the distance with her hands on her hips. "Haven't seen even the hint of an attack. Maybe she's more cowardly than you think."

Clarke just looked away, glancing up into the trees. She knew that Lexa was following. She didn't have to see her. She just knew.

"She better attack soon," Ontari continued. "We will reach Belem soon and my employer will be very happy if I bring both of them in."

It was at that moment the engine seemed to falter and the boat stopped moving. Ontari's people looked dumbfounded.

"Well fix it then!" she demanded. "Unless you want to walk the rest of the way."

What Ontari didn't see was Lexa sneaking off the boat after sabotaging the engine.

  
Some while later they were travelling through dense jungle, Ontari's men cutting through the undergrowth. It was hot and tiring and finally Ontari announced that they would camp for the evening and set up shelter, ordering patrols and keeping armed guards on Clarke and Madi at all times.

"Tell me Clarke, how did you manage to get through to Lexa. They say she was totally wild when you met her. How did you civilise her as much as you did?"

Clarke smiled slightly.

"I didn't," she said. "As you'll find out soon enough."

Ontari scoffed and turned her head, taking a drink from her water flask. Clarke seemed to be listening to something and Ontari frowned, studying her face as she gazed up into the trees. It was dark now and Ontari knew that she couldn't be seeing anything in them so what was she doing.

She listened carefully but heard nothing and then she realised what Clarke was paying attention to. The jungle was loud at night and suddenly it was absolutely silent.

She grabbed her gun and got to her feet.

"Woods is about to attack. Get ready."

Everyone was on edge as the stood there in the silence and then out leapt a jaguar, attacking one of her men from behind and dragging him into the darkness screaming. Ontari swung her gun and then a swarm of bats rushed through the camp.

Clarke pulled Madi down to the ground as they flooded through the camp and then it was a free for all as scores of different animals rushed through attacking the entire militia. Ontari darted behind a tree but glanced towards Clarke and Madi. She could only get one of them but so could Lexa and that could be to her benefit. Lexa swung down and attacked her men, daggers being thrown at them before they even knew what was happening, men dragged away by animals before, their guns taken from their hands before they could resist.

Ontari swung around and grabbed Madi in the confusion and put a hand around her mouth, dragging her away into the darkness.

Lexa landed, after the last man fell and hurried over to Clarke, helping her to her feet.

"Madi!" Clarke exclaimed. "Ontari must've took her. I'm sorry. I should've seen."

Lexa wrapped an arm around Clarke's waist and swung her up into the trees and to safety.

"I'm so sorry," Clarke said frantically. "I was meant to protect her."

"You did," Lexa said. "Now let me do the rest. I will take you to the others while I follow Ontari. We know where she is going now. Anya will bring back up."

Clarke nodded and wrapped her arms around Lexa.

"I knew you would save me," she whispered.

"Always," Lexa replied. "But now I have to do something I wished never to do again. I have to stop this and I do not wish you to see this side of me."

"There is no side of you that I would love any less Lexa. Do what you have to do to save Madi? I'll get help."

Lexa nodded and carried her to the town where Anya and Raven would be. She set her down and kissed her deeply before swinging away again, leaving Clarke even though she desperately didn't want to.

  
"You are gonna regret this when Lexa gets hold of you," Madi snapped, as Ontari roughly dragged her towards their destination.

Ontari was tired and thirsty and had been bitten by every insect going. She was not used to heat, not used to this environment. She could hunt people down anywhere in the world but she was far better in the cold and just wanted it done now.

When she was in sight of the small airfield the next day she thought that she was almost home free but before she could reach it Lexa landed right in front of her and Ontari pointed her gun at her. Lexa knocked it from her hand and moved forward and Ontari pulled her knife and grabbed Madi.

"Let her go," Lexa sneered, her green eyes flashing behind the black warpaint.

Ontari just held the blade against Madi's throat.

"Let her go," Lexa repeated, "and I will spare your life."

Ontari just held her grip tight on the young girl and Lexa exhaled, wishing there was another way.

"This is your last warning," Lexa said.

Ontari sneered at her and Lexa knew that there was no choice. She flung her daggers with lightning speed and one hit Ontari in the hand and another in her shoulder. Ontari cried out with pain and lost her grip on Madi who kicked her and ran over to Lexa. Lexa held out her arms and hugged Madi, watching as Ontari squirmed on the floor. She turned slightly and someone shouted.

"Lexa, the gun!"

It was Clarke arriving with Anya and backup. Ontari reached for the gun with her uninjured hand but Lexa was ready to throw her dagger and hit her other hand and then Clarke rushed in and picked up the gun. She pointed it at Ontari and glared and Lexa reached for her and lowered the gun slowly shaking her head.

"It's over Clarke," Lexa said.

Clarke was out of breath and shaken as she gazed at Lexa.

"I thought she was going to shoot you. I wanted to kill her for that."

Lexa placed her hand over Clarke's cheek and brushed her fingers across it softly.

"We don't kill unless we have to. That is our way. I spared her but I felt the same when she took both of you."

Clarke smiled and then fussed over Madi, checking her over.

"I'm fine Clarke," Madi moaned. "Lexa saved me. It was totally badass. Did you see?"

Clarke threw her hands up and shook her head as if it was all too much for her and turned away.

"She's like that," Lexa said in a hushed tone, nudging Madi. "She worries a lot. It's her nature."

"Why worry about it? We either win or we don't and we won so it's okay."

A small smile appeared at the corner of her lips at Madi's words as she recognised something of herself in her sister. Lexa placed her arm across the back of Madi's shoulders protectively and her smile broadened.

"Thank you by the way. Clarke told me you would save us."

Lexa glanced down at her.

"Of course. You're family."

Madi beamed up at her.

"That's what Clarke said."

"You should listen to her, she's rarely wrong," Lexa replied.

Madi frowned suddenly.

"What's wrong?"

"I feel guilty about my guardian, like I'm replacing her. She doesn't have anyone else."

Lexa thought of her own birth parents and the conflicted feelings she had.

"I understand that. I was raised by a different mother than my own but your guardian will always your guardian. Nothing will change that. We can never replace her."

Madi hugged Lexa and Lexa caught Clarke smiling as she watched them.


	25. Home Sweet Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke worries that it isn't over even as Nia is arrested and takes Lexa and Madi to Arkadia to her old home.

"You ready to go home?" Clarke asked Madi as they strapped themselves in on the private plane.

Madi nodded, playing with the cell phone Anya had insisted on buying her before they left. Lexa was already lying back in her seat, dozing off. Clarke shook her and gestured for her to put on her seatbelt. Lexa smiled at her and clipped herself in before closing her eyes. Clarke was well used to her tendency to napping like a cat.

Ontari the hunter, Anya had found out was a serious criminal wanted by numerous intelligence agencies. One phone call and she was being escorted away by an intelligence agent to spend the rest of her life in custody answering for her crimes.

Clarke glanced at Lexa, who looked so sleeping next to her. She had hoped it was over but this Cage Wallace guy still wanted to take her family away from her and he wasn't going to stop until they brought him down.

Her phone beeped and she checked her message. It was Raven from the front of the plane sending her a video clip. She played the clip. It was Nia Queen being arrested and the press badgering her from questions as she was hauled into a police van.

"This is a mistake," she said. "I didn't embezzle any funds."

Clarke frowned. Nia Queen was one of the wealthiest people in the world. Anya had talked of her often. She was ruthless and cruel and played games in business but Anya said she was always by the book and would never dirty her hands with anything illegal.

Raven: We think it's a setup. Anya's people say they're gonna pin Ontari on her too. Wallace is covering his tracks.

Clarke: Maybe he planned it all along?

Raven: Maybe. You okay?

Clarke sent Raven a picture of Lexa sleeping soundly and Madi happily playing on her phone with a smiley face.

Raven: stupid question Griff. You ready to see the gang again?

Raven sent Clarke a picture of her drunk with her head on the bar, the last time they were with the gang in Arkadia. Clarke sent back laughing emojis.

Though she was feeling safe now, Clarke couldn't help but be concerned about Wallace. What if he targeted them again? She needed to find a way to stop him for all their sakes and she had an idea who to ask to help.

  
They landed down in Arkadia some time later, Clarke unable to sleep on the plane as she thought through her plans. Lexa slept the whole time and Madi was too preoccupied with her new cell phone.

So when she arrived in her other home in Arkadia, a place Clarke had not been back to since they'd married, it was strange to be home.

"It's started raining," Lexa noted, as she placed their bags down on the kitchen counter.

"You'll get used to it," Clarke said wistfully.

Truthfully she had missed her old home. She had grown up in the city.

Lexa smiled and glanced around the home. Madi rushed in asking which one was going to be hers and Clarke directed her to the guest bedroom.

"We'll have to redecorate in there," Clarke said.

Lexa eyed Clarke curiously.

"So you want to stay here for a while then?"

"It would be nice," Clarke said, hanging her jacket up. "If you're okay with that."

Lexa glanced around the house. It was far smaller than her and Anya's home but much cozier. Artwork hung on the walls. Everything was decorated in bright colours and it was just so Clarke.

"Then we'll stay," Lexa said, with a smile. "You've lived in my home in the jungle for a long time. Now it's your turn."

Clarke's put her arms around Lexa's waist and edged closer.

"Are you sure? There aren't as many trees here. Cities are very different from what you are used to."

Clarke frowned as she spoke in that way that Lexa loved, her nose scrunching up a little.

"It will be good for me," Lexa told her. "Aren't you always saying that new experiences are good for us?"

Clarke beamed back at her, her tongue darting between her teeth as she smiled.

"I do say that from time to time don't I? First things first. We both need a good bath and a change of clothes. I'm thinking lots of bubbles."

Lexa smirked. Clarke knew that bubble baths were one of her favourite things from the human world.

"I like that idea."

"Alright. Give me ten minutes to get it ready," Clarke said, gesturing with her hands.

Clarke darted away and Lexa moved over to the lounge area. She ran her hands over the dark wooden coffee table. It was real wood and reminded her of home. Around the room were several photos from Clarke's travels, all taken in different countries and there were ornaments and statues from many different cultures. She knew that Clarke loved art but being in this space that expressed so much of that love made Lexa feel more at home there than she ever had in Anya's mansion. It was then that she had an idea. One she didn't voice even when Clarke reappeared sometime later and guided her toward the bathroom.

  
A few moments later they were soaking in a deep tub of hot water, surrounded by foamy, sweet smelling bubbles.

"Now that's much better," Clarke said, closing her eyes, as she lay back against Lexa's naked body.

Lexa held her lightly against her, very much enjoying the bubbles. The first time Clarke had drawn her a bubble bath she had been fascinated with it and pulled Clarke into the tub with her, both of them laughing. It had quickly become one of their favourite ways to spend time together.

Clarke turned over and straddled Lexa, leaning down to kiss her damp skin, mouthing over her neck and up under her jaw. Lexa parted her legs and let Clarke's own leg slip inbetween then as they joined together, Lexa tilting her head back as Clarke placed sensuous kisses all over her. She stopped when she found the bullet wound. It was healing well but the scar remained. She brushed her fingertips over it softly.

"I hate that you got hurt," Clarke said softly. "I wish I had turned around and run towards you. Maybe if I hadn't..."

Lexa took her hand from her shoulder and held it to her heart.

"No. You got my sister to safety. No guilt."

Clarke gazed into her eyes thoughtfully and then leaned in to press a lingering kiss to her lips.

"I love you so much. I would've took that bullet for you. You know that right?"

Lexa gazed back at her.

"Please don't ever do that."

Clarke blinked.

"I can't promise that."

Lexa brought Clarke's hand up to her lips and kissed it tenderly.

"I can't promise either."

Clarke sighed.

"We're hopeless the both of us. You know I'm kinda glad to be back here. I loved the jungle but I was more homesick than I realised. You really don't mind us sticking around here for a while, just while I see my friends do you?"

"You are my home," Lexa just replied softly.

Clarke smiled and leaned down to kiss her. They kissed leisurely in the bath together, taking all the time in the world to enjoy their moment of peace.


	26. Life in Arcadia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke meets with an old friend to ask for help while Lexa and Madi continue bonding.

Clarke awoke in her old bed, Lexa sprawled out beside her. She yawned and stretched, the memory of how they'd made love numerous times the night before still fresh in her memory. She rested on one side, her hands under her head as she gazed at Lexa who was facing towards her and sleeping so sweetly. This was the favourite part of her day. Waking up beside Lexa.

The morning was going fairly smoothly until Clarke saw the news again. It was Nia's lawyer, insisting that she'd had nothing to do with the attacks on the Woods family. Clarke often ate her breakfast in front of the TV but she couldn't shake the feeling that they still weren't safe.

She picked up her phone and sent a message to Wells asking for his help. His father worked as an intelligence analyst and Wells was a private eye.

Wells: Can you meet me at The Ark in ten minutes?

Clarke: Sure. Just let me tell Lexa.

Wells just sent back a winking emoji and she headed in to let Lexa know that she was nipping out and would be back. Lexa just grunted and when Clarke checked in on Madi she was fast asleep still.

Clarke grabbed her coat and headed out in a rush.

  
Fifteen minutes later and she was at The Ark coffee house and apologising to Wells.

"Seriously it's okay. It was short notice. Sit down and we'll talk."

Clarke noticed that he'd already ordered her a coffee and sat down across from him.

"You look well. Married life agrees with you," Wells said, with a smile. "Did you just get back from Brazil?"

"Yeah. That's partly what I'm here about. I need you to do some digging. We were attacked in Brazil. By a hired gun named Ontari and practically a small army."

Wells' eyes went wide.

"Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah. We're fine but the authorities think that Nia Queen was behind it and I'm not so sure."

"You want to hire me?"

Wells looked just how Clarke remembered. They had grown up together, their parents best friends. They'd gone to the same schools, lived in the same neighbourhoods. It was only when she went travelling they grew apart.

"Yes," Clarke said. "I'll pay as much as you need but I want to make sure my family is safe."

Wells raised his brows knowing she meant Lexa.

"Who was the target?" he asked.

Clarke glanced around them, checking no one was listening.

"Lexa and her sister."

"I didn't know Lexa had a sister."

Clarke exhaled.

"This is where it gets complicated. It might take a while."

"I have time," he said with a smile.

Clarke nodded wondering where to start.

  
When Madi got up, she was in a strange place again. She headed to the living/dining area and found Lexa sitting on the sofa watching television curiously while eating a bowl of cereal.

"Madi," she said with a smile. "Clarke has gone out for a little while. She told me to make you some cereal for breakfast."

Lexa held up the mobile phone that Madi didn't even know she had and then put her bowl aside, rushing to pour a bowl for Madi.

"Here," she said handing it to her. "Nourishment."

Madi frowned and then they both sat down on the sofa.

"What are you watching?" Madi asked her, playing with her spoon.

"Television," Lexa replied.

Madi turned her head deeply amused.

"No I mean what programme?"

"It is about a man in green who fights crime in the city. He is a hero."

"Oh I like superhero stuff. Can you turn the volume up?"

Lexa reached for the control and they both sat side by side watching the programme.

"He's such a badass. I wish I could fight like that."

"You could," Lexa said, not looking away from the screen. "I could teach you."

Madi's spoon stilled in her hand.

"Really? You would teach me?"

"Of course little natblida?"

Lexa patted Madi on the arm as she spoke.

"Natblida?"

"Nightblood," Lexa said. "It was how I used to speak before meeting Clarke. My language was different."

"Oh I get it. Can you teach me any other words so I understand?"

"Of course but after we watch this. It is enjoyable."

Madi nodded and both girls turned their head back to the screen and lifted their spoons at exactly the same time.

  
When Clarke returned home, she hung up her coat and was holding a paper bag of groceries on one arm. She searched for Lexa and found her and Madi sparring in the middle of the lounge, unaware that she had even returned home. Madi attacked and Lexa flipped them both over and then Madi conceeded.

"Better," Lexa said, getting to her feet, "but try not to signal your intention to attack. Fighting is as much about the mind as the body. You must outsmart your opponent."

Clarke folded her arms as she watched.

"And just what is going on here?"

Both of the girls turned and put their hands behind their backs, both wearing the same guilty expression and Clarke burst out laughing. They looked so alike sometimes.

"Your faces. It's okay. Just don't knock anything over or hurt each other."

"Clarke," Madi said, following her as she moved into the kitchen. "Can we go and visit the Arkadia national park? Or go to the mall? Or to the cinema? I've never been to Arkadia."

Clarke looked down at Madi. She looked so excited and she knew that Lexa wanted to see more of the city too. It would take Wells some time to investigate Wallace so they could afford a little time sightseeing.

"Okay. Lex, do you want to see the city too? We could go together if you're okay with that."

She knew that Lexa always took some time to adjust some new surroundings and didn't want to push it. Lexa just met her eyes and smiled and picked a grape from Clarke's shopping and popped it into her mouth.

"Okay. What do you guys want to see first?"

Lexa and Madi glanced at each and both grinned.

"The zoo," they both said in unison.

Clarke just raised her eyebrows, wondering when the two of them had become so close.


	27. A Family Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa and her family enjoy a day out and Clarke meets another old friend. Wells tries to talk to his father.

The Woods-Griffin family spent all morning at the zoo and returned with far too many souvenirs. Madi thought a toy rubber snake was more interesting than the teddy bears from the gift shop while Lexa returned with a stuffed toy raccoon and a lion teddy that she said reminded her of the two of them. Clarke just shook her head at her humour and they sat on a park bench eating hotdogs in the city centre.

Arkadia, while urban, had some nice parks and trees decorated almost all parts of the city, creating a city that seemed as blended with nature as possible.

"Are you sure we can't get ice cream?" Madi asked.

"No one sells ice cream in october Madi," Clarke replied. "It's the wrong time of year and the wrong climate. Which reminds me. We need to buy you some winter clothes if you are staying with us."

Lexa seemed fascinated with Arkadia and glanced around at all the sights. Suddenly she saw someone being pushed aside as a mugger grabbed an elderly woman's handbag and started running. Clarke had her head turned, busy chatting to Madi. When she turned back, Lexa was already running full speed down the street and leaping across cars and over bus shelters. Clarke and Madi just watched as Lexa leapt onto the mugger and knocked him out, taking the handbag and returning it to the very grateful woman who it belonged to.

"She's really quite incredible isn't she?" Clarke said with a smile, completely unfazed by Lexa's antics.

"Totally," Madi replied, with a mouthful of food.

Lexa returned casually and sat back down beside them and a stray dog appeared and wagged its tail at her. This was how it always was when Clarke was in public with her. Lexa had probably stopped more criminals than she'd had hot showers.

"You know one time in Polis, someone got past the security gates in the middle of the night and tried to break in and Lexa caught him before he even got in the house. The guy was terrified when she leapt out of a tree growling at him. He was so relieved when the cops showed up and took him away."

Her and Madi both glanced at Lexa who was busy making friends with the stray dog. They both smiled at her and when she noticed them she raised her eyebrows curiously and then bear hugged them both affectionately.

"Clarke?"

Clarke looked up quickly when she heard her name.

"Clarke Griffin?"

"Kane?"

Marcus Kane smiled at her.

"I haven't seen you in so long. How are your parents? How is everything?"

"Great," she said. "This is my wife Lexa and her sister Madi. Guys this is Marcus Kane. He's one of my parent's best friends. He went to high school with them."

Marcus reached out his hand and Lexa shook it.

"I heard you got married. Congratulations."

"Thank you. What are you doing back in Arkadia? I thought you got a job offer in Europe?"

"I did," Marcus said, "but then Thelonius offered me a position on his security staff. He's running for governor you know."

Clarke frowned. Wells hadn't mentioned that. He didn't always get on with his dad. Maybe they weren't talking again. It was so like him not to mention.

"Great."

"Well I better get going but if you need anything while you're in town don't hesitate to call."

Marcus handed her a business card and then bade her farewell.

"He seems nice," Lexa said.

"Yeah. Him and my parents go way back. I wonder why Wells didn't mention his dad was running?"

Lexa shrugged and Clarke returned her focus to her family outing.

Wells was in his father's office trying to get him to listen to reason.

"I told you before. I know what I'm doing," his father told him as he signed a few more documents. "Once I'm governor this will all be ancient history."

"Dad," Wells implored, "these are bad people. They worked for Roan Queen. You know what sort of stuff he was involved with. If he wasn't so rich he would be sitting in jail with his mother right now."

His father didn't seem even affected by his words.

"The Queen family were wealthy donors to my campaign and you know as well as I do that Roan will be inheriting his mother's company now she is behind bars. He has never been convicted of any crime."

Wells sighed and slammed down the file.

"No, but he was implicated in over twenty different cases of assault and spends most of his time in the underground fight scene."

Jaha leaned over the desk, not even looking at the file.

"Son, you know how this works. This is politics. All that matters is what people believe and the public have no idea what Roan Queen does in his spare time."

Wells sighed and took the file back. He'd tried everything to convince his dad not to go down the route of governor. As much as he thought himself a good leader, Wells knew that his dad's tendency towards grandiose delusions and leaps of faith would lead him astray. He wasn't as wise as he thought he was and though he was smart at politics he was often blindsided by his own unquestioning self belief that he knew better than anyone how to run the city.

"He may be backing your campaign but he'll want something in return. Just remember that before you throw yourself into this."

Wells shook his head as his father seemed to barely even listen. It was happening all over again. He'd been on the Arkadia council after he'd left the intelligent services. He'd made some big mistakes trusting the wrong people as had the rest of the council and Arkadia had suffered for it. Now he thought he could put it right but he was making the same mistake again. He always thought the ends justified the means and Wells could never convince him otherwise.

"This will come back to haunt you," Wells warned. "If you do this, you won't be helping Arkadia. You'll be running it into the ground."


	28. Ai Seingeda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke's reunion with her friends is interrupted by a phone call and Clarke and Lexa talk about family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigedasleng Translations
> 
> Yu laik ai seingeda - You are my family  
Ait ai hodness - Right, my love

The delinquents seemed more than happy to see Clarke when she showed up at the bar to meet them. They hadn't changed much, except that Octavia was with Lincoln now and Bellamy had a new girlfriend named Echo.

Madi was too young to be there and so Lexa had agreed to stay home with her but Clarke had lots of photos to show them on her phone.

"Aww look at the three of you. You look so sweet," Octavia said.

"She's very like Lexa," Clarke told her happily.

Clarke's phone suddenly started ringing with an unknown number.

"Just a sec," Clarke said. "Let me take this call."

Clarke walked outside and answered her phone on the street, hugging the side of the building to shelter from the elements.

"Clarke Griffin? Is this her?"

It was a female voice. She frowned not recognising it at all.

"Who is this?"

"Luna. Is Madi with you?"

Clarke exhaled. For a second she had been worried it was someone about to threaten her.

"No. She's with Lexa. I'm not at home. I can get her to call you later if you -"

"No," Luna snapped, "I mean. It's you I need to talk to. I'm in the city. Can we meet? Somewhere public."

"Sure," Clarke said. "I'm at The Ark bar. Do you know it?"

Something in Luna's voice sounded frightened. Clarke remembered Madi saying that Luna never left the lab barely ever.

"I'll be there."

The call disconnected and Clarke stared at her phone in surprise. She glanced around herself and went back in.

"Who was on the phone Griff? Wifey wanting you home already?"

Clarke sat down next to Octavia and reached for her drink.

"Wrong number," she lied.

Octavia just shrugged and Clarke glanced at the entrance in anticipation of Luna's arrival. When she didn't show Clarke just carried on with her evening until she waited outside for a cab.

Once inside she noticed that they weren't taking her home.

"Wait? Where are we headed?"

The car turned it's lights off and pulled into an alleyway. The driver turned around and faced her. She had long, curly hair and brown eyes.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't be seen. They might be watching. I'm Luna."

"Who might be watching?"

"Wallace's people. He still wants Madi. That's why I sent her to her family."

Clarke frowned. She had hoped it was all over and that they could just spend some time together.

"I read about you," Luna said. "You are quite remarkable. Lexa barely spoke, barely communicated, never made herself visible to anyone, except to you."

"It was her choice."

"Still. She chose you. I knew her parents. They were brilliant. Geniuses the both of them but your family are pretty unique too. Your parents are both leaders in their fields and you've shown similar capabilities."

"What is this about? You said Madi is still in trouble. If I'm going to protect her I need to know."

Luna frowned as if she felt guilty about something.

"Do you know why she was created? Why they sent her dna to me?"

"You were trying to cure diseases. Lexa's blood shows an incredible immunity to disease and radiation and she has an increased recovery rate."

"We were working for a corporation initially, hired to find a way to create humans that could withstand merging with technology. The current problem in biotech is-"

"-the body rejects the technology, often causing infection and treating implanted technology as if it's a disease."

Luna smiled a little as if impressed.

"Lexa was the first nightblood. They should have never done it her but they believed they were helping humanity. Madi was the third one. Designed to carry on their work if they didn't make it."

Clarke still didn't understand their logic. They must have been either ridiculously sure of theirselves or terrified.

"And the second one?"

Luna went very quiet for a moment.

"Me," she said. "I was Lexa's twin. They sent me away for testing at their secret laboratory, planning to have me returned to them when it was complete but they never came back for me."

"Because they died," Clarke said sadly. "So why send us Madi now? Why keep it secret all this time?"

"Because the original project was a collaboration with Dante Wallace and the Woods family and his son wants every nightblood in existence so he can make his own and sell the secrets to any military that wants them. He doesn't care about helping the world, or advancing medical treatments with biotech. He wants to make soldiers that are machines and sell them to the highest bidder. Do you know what kind of devastation he could do?"

If Clarke had been concerned before for her family now she was even more so.

"Why me? Why not contact Lexa or Anya this time?"

"Because I can't see them. Someone has been following my every move for months now. They want me to lead them to Madi. I can't put her in that sort of danger."

Clarke shook her head. This was too much.

"I will have to tell Lexa what I know. She has a right to know about this."

"I understand but I will be disappearing for a while after tonight. I just came to give you this."

She handed Clarke a flash drive.

"It's everything I have so far on Cage. Illegal business deals. Black market trading, embezzlement. You just need to prove it. He's good at hiding his involvement but if your private investigator friend can find some way to make it stick, we could put him away for good."

Clarke slipped it away into her bra and nodded back at Luna. When she caught a glimpse of her face she could see the resemblance. They were not identical and had definitely had a very different life but they were certainly sisters.

"I will drive you back to the bar. There's another cab waiting for you to switch. I will contact you again when I can. Tell Madi... " Luna paused. "Tell her I miss her but she can't come home yet."

Clarke met her eyes in the wing mirror as she turned away.

"And Lexa? Aren't you curious? What she's like? What she's going to say?"

"I don't even know her," Luna said. "Maybe we can get to know each other when this is over but Madi comes first. It's her safety I'm concerned about."

Clarke glared at her suddenly. She shook her head and turned away.

"You think me a coward?" Luna asked, noticing her disapproval.

"Well you're running away. Leaving Madi in the hands of someone you don't even know, 'as you put it'. Someone you could have known five years ago. Why didn't you?"

Luna scowled now and again it reminded Clarke of Lexa.

"From my perspective all I saw on the news was a stranger claiming to be a Woods punching Finn Collins in front of the world. I couldn't expose Madi to that kind of publicity."

"It wasn't like that. He was the one who started that fight and we would have understood if you'd explained it."

"Arguing over the past will not change it," Luna said. "I've given you what you need. Be thankful I am trusting you with this. Lexa is a stranger to me and it's best it stays that way."

"Wow. You really aren't alike. Lexa would never just run away," Clarke responded sarcastically, "especially from family. I can walk from here. Nice to meet you Luna."

She leaned forward as she spoke, her tone dry and unimpressed. She exited the car, Luna glancing at her as she left. She hadn't meant to upset Clarke but she felt no connection to Lexa. For all she had seen, Lexa was nothing more than a primitive jungle woman and she was surprised Anya had even allowed Madi to stay with them. She only assumed it was because Anya trusted Clarke.

Meanwhile Clarke turned away with a deep huff after exiting the cab and watching it drive away quietly. She started walking in rain, her home only a few blocks away, wishing that she had at least let Luna drive her back to get the other cab. Luna had infuriated her.

At first she had felt sympathy for her but the more she talked the more she realised that Luna believed that Lexa's parents had been right in what they'd done and the more she'd understood that Luna didn't have any interest in a relationship with Lexa.

_And now I have to tell her that she has another sister that wants nothing to do with her_ she thought with anger.

Clarke was rarely prone to a temper. She preferred to give people the benefit of the doubt but Luna clearly thought herself more intelligent than Lexa and it irritated her to no end that she didn't even seem to care about what Lexa had been through or what their parents had put her through.

What they had done was so unethical and so unfair to Lexa. They had robbed her of a normal childhood and though Clarke wouldn't change Lexa for the world it angered her so much.

  
Lexa looked up from the sofa when the front door opened and Clarke entered with damp hair. Her brow furrowed in confusion. Clarke looked annoyed and Lexa had expected her to order a taxi home.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. Madi in bed?"

Lexa nodded and Clarke took off her jacket and hung it up. Lexa's eyes followed her as she went into the kitchen to get some orange juice from fridge. Lexa got to her feet and stood in front of her as Clarke lifted the carton to her lips and drank.

"Clarke?" she said. "What's wrong? You're angry."

Clarke brought the carton down and smiled at her.

"Not with you," she said softly. "Someone else."

"Who?" Lexa said. "I will tell them not to make you angry again."

Clarke smiled more broadly. Lexa was the sweetest, most genuine person she had ever met and she couldn't understand how anyone could think her less intelligent than an ordinary person. If anything she was more intelligent. She saw through words and appearances and knew exactly what was in Clarke's heart.

Clarke reached forward and hugged her, bringing her arms around Lexa's waist.

"I love you. You know that right? No matter what."

Lexa put her hands on the small of Clarke's back and hugged her gently.

"Of course. I love you too."

Clarke pulled back, gazing at Lexa dreamily but there was a note of concern in her pale blue eyes.

"I have to tell you something but I'm afraid it will upset you."

"You can tell me anything," Lexa said softly.

Clarke looked down and bit her lower lip thoughtfully. When she lifted her head, she gazed into those beautiful green eyes, knowing that she had to tell Lexa the truth.

"I met Luna today. She called me and arranged a meeting."

"Madi's guardian?"

"Lexa she told me that she's your twin. Your parents sent her away before they died. She's your sister."

Lexa's eyes clouded over with confusion.

"Why would that make you angry?"

Clarke avoided her eyes and sharply inhaled.

"She isn't like you and Madi. She's running away. She doesn't have any interest in being your sister. I'm so sorry."

Lexa's lower lip began to pout and Clarke hated Luna for that.

"It's not your fault Lex. She doesn't deserve to be your sister or Madi's. You are worth so much more than that. Please don't think this has anything to do with you."

Lexa lifted her head, her jaw clenching with emotion.

"We _are_ strangers," she said. "I guess it's to be expected."

Clarke pulled her closer.

"Hey. You don't need her. You have a family who love you. There's Anya and Madi and my parents and then there's me. We're your family."

Lexa smiled back at her.

"You're right. _Yu laik ai seingeda_."

"_Ait ai hodness._"

Lexa grinned back at her, enjoying it thoroughly when Clarke spoke Lexa's own personal language.

"It hurts that she doesn't want to be family but I am okay," Lexa told her. "I have you."

"Always," Clarke said gently.

They embraced each other fully, hugging for quite some time. Clarke sighed as Lexa rested her head on her shoulder, her hands coming up to the back of Lexa's head, tangling into her hair and holding her there.


	29. Family Bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa does some sightseeing and becomes concerned for one of Arkadia's citizens while an unexpected visitor upsets Clarke and Lexa's plans.

Lexa enjoyed the city much more than she expected. She walked through the streets, exploring Arkadia alone as Clarke and Madi spent the day visiting some of her friends. She climbed up a stairwell and made her way up to the top of a high building wanting to see the whole city. She leapt between close rooftops feeling elated.

It was then that she spied a young boy being bullied by a group of larger ones. He had reddish blonde hair and was small for his age. Lexa observed how they shoved him down and then leapt down from stairwell to stairwell and landed in front of them with a growl. The boys fled except for the one being bullied and she helped him up.

"Thanks," he said. "How did you do that?"

He was looking up in awe realising just how high she had jumped down from. Lexa just shrugged.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Aden," he said.

"I'm Lexa," she replied holding out her hand formally.

He shook it with a smile.

"Do you wish me to walk you home?"

Aden nodded awkwardly and Lexa escorted him back through the streets. When they reached his home, Lexa could hear yelling coming from inside.

"Is that your family?" Lexa asked in surprise.

"No," Aden sighed. "I don't have any. They my foster family. They're always like that."

Lexa frowned, not happy leaving Aden in such a situation.

"I'll be okay," Aden said, noticing her concern. "I'll probably get moved on to another family soon. That's what usually happens."

Lexa nodded in understanding mentally noting to check in on the boy another day to make sure he was fine.

"If you insist. I'll be around if you need me."

Aden gave her a slight smile as if her kindness was unexpected and then turned and entered the home.

  
Clarke and Madi returned earlier in the afternoon and Clarke went to work on reading through the information on the flash drive, sending Wells whatever he needed for his investigation.

Lexa was out busy exploring the city, determined to learn every inch of it and when she returned she swung down from the tree in the back garden and entered through the back door.

"Hi," Clarke greeted her, kissing her on the cheek as she prepared dinner. "Did you enjoy your sightseeing?"

"Yes," Lexa replied.

"How many muggings did you stop?"

"Three."

Clarke glanced at her with amusement. Lexa could not help herself from protecting innocent people.

"And a boy being bullied. I walked him home."

Something flashed in Lexa's eyes and Clarke raised her brows.

"So why do you look worried?"

"He had no family. He was fostered and they were yelling in the house. He seemed very alone."

Clarke smiled.

"Hmmm... one child not enough for you? You want to adopt another?"

Lexa blinked.

"Is that possible?"

"Er yes but we would need to talk about that. It's not that simple. It could be a long process and we're strangers to this kid. We'll talk later. Madi dinner's ready!"

The young brunette came running out of her room and Clarke handed her a plate.

"And this one's yours," Clarke said, handing Lexa another. "Let's eat."

The three of them ate in front of the TV, Madi and Lexa insisting on watching some superhero TV series they were into and Clarke shot happy glances at Lexa who seemed more than happy in Arkadia. A part of her had been worried it wouldn't feel like home to Lexa and that she would miss the jungle too much. However, Clarke was pleasantly surprised that Lexa seemed fond of their home there.

"So what was his name?" Clarke asked. "The kid?"

"Aden," Lexa said, glancing at her.

"And why were you so worried about him?"

Lexa shrugged.

"Instinct. He seemed unhappy."

Clarke watched Lexa as she turned back to watch the television. Something about this child had clearly struck a chord with Lexa.

"I don't know that we'd be even allowed to take care of him Lex. If we interfered they would just move him to another foster home."

"He said that they do that anyway."

Clarke didn't like the sound of that. It did sound as though the kid was being neglected by the system.

"I sent the details to Wells. He wants to talk at his office tomorrow."

Lexa shot a look at Clarke, one full of concern.

"Clarke... are you sure about this? It could lead to more trouble?"

"They won't stop coming for you both unless I do," Clarke said, "and I can't let that happen."

She reached over and brushed Lexa's hair back and Lexa smiled back at her softly. Madi was too engrossed in the TV to notice them.

It was then that a loud, insisting knocking started at their front door. Clarke and Lexa glanced at each other and Clarke nodded to the door. Silently, Lexa slipped out of the back garden and climbed up onto the rooftops ready to defend Clarke against who ever it was. When Clarke opened the door she saw Luna, clutching a gun shot wound at her side and in bad shape.

"Luna!" Clarke gasped.

"I had no where else to go," she gasped. "They've found us."

Lexa dropped down beside Luna and they were face to face and Luna's eyes widened as Lexa stood tall beside her, her green eyes dark and her face a mask. They just looked at each other and Clarke told Lexa to bring her inside quickly.

"Madi, go to your room," Clarke said quickly, as Lexa helped Luna into the home.

Clarke locked the door behind her, checking if anyone had seen the commotion and Madi turned from the TV immediately.

"Luna?" she gasped, her lower lip trembling. "You're hurt."

"Hi," Luna said, with a watery smile, as Lexa helped her onto the sofa.

Clarke huffed and rushed over to Madi who was frightened for Luna.

"Please Madi," she said, gripping her arms, "I will help her I promise."

Madi glanced at Luna and then Clarke knowing why she asked. She wanted to protect Madi from seeing something she should't. Madi agreed reluctantly and Clarke listened for her bedroom door close as she rushed for her emergency medical supplies.

"She listens to you. Good. That will make the transition smoother."

Clarke glared at her as she tended to the wound, preparing to remove the bullet and stitch her up.

"So you have no intention of ever taking her back?" Clarke asked.

"Why would I?" Luna asked, closing her eyes with the pain. "You are a much better parent than I ever was Clarke."

"It's a joint effort," Clarke snapped back dryly.

Luna glanced at Lexa who was very still as Clarke worked, handing her items as she asked for them.

"Have you told her who am I?" Luna asked Clarke.

"She speaks English you know," Clarke replied in annoyance. "Ask her yourself. There. Done. I'm gonna clean up and talk to Madi. She'll be worried about you."

Clarke rushed away refusing even to look at Luna. Lexa glanced after her as she strode off.

"You have angered her a lot," Lexa said. "She is very mad at you."

Luna's eyes widened and she looked up as Lexa spoke.

"And you?"

Lexa turned to her.

"I don't even know you," she said in a low voice, averting her eyes and wishing Clarke would return quickly.

"Is Clarke always so bad tempered?" Luna asked. "You would think I killed someone by how she's acting."

Lexa's eyes bore into her now and she had to resist snarling at her twin.

"She is never bad tempered. She is the sweetest, kindest person in the world so if she is angry with you, she has good reason to be."

Clarke returned after a few moments and stopped when she saw Lexa's face.

"Everything okay?" she asked Lexa, reaching for her hand.

Lexa smiled and clung to her.

"It's fine ai houmon. Nothing to worry about."

Lexa raised her eyebrows and let them drop again as she spoke as if to emphasise her point but Clarke didn't quite believe her.

"Okay so what should we do?" Clarke asked Luna.

"We need to disappear. Somewhere far away where they will never find us."

"No," Lexa replied. "We will go to Polis. Their security is much better and Clarke's friend can continue investigating. When it's safe we can return here."

"Agreed," Clarke said. "I'll call Anya."

"Are you crazy?" Luna asked in alarm. "They have guns and they're coming for us. We can't fight them!"

Clarke and Lexa shared a look. They both knew that Lexa very well could fight them if needed.

"Call her," Lexa told Clarke calmly. "We will stay in Polis."

Luna shook her head as if thinking them both insane as Clarke reached for her cellphone.

"It's not like I have much of a choice but this is stupid. A few security gates won't keep you safe."

Lexa smiled confidently. They had more than a few security gates. Luna had no idea.

"Do not fear Luna. You will be safe with us."

Luna just huffed and lay down on her back, in too much pain to argue.

"Alright. I called them," Clarke said, hanging up the phone. "We have a flight in a few hours. We better start packing. I'll pack. You watch Luna."

Lexa just nodded as Luna muttered to herself.

"Great. My life is in the hands of Tarzan and Jane."

Lexa glanced at her but said nothing. Luna was so different to her in terms of personality that it was hard to believe that they were twins but Lexa had known they were as soon as they met. She had felt it.


	30. The Woods Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luna rubs Anya up the wrong way. Clarke fears that Madi will want to go back to Luna after it's all over and Anya and Clarke talk.

Anya hadn't known what to expect when Luna was brought to Polis, Lexa, Clarke and Madi following in tow. Luna was helped to the sofa and seemed impressed by her surroundings.

"Well this is much nicer," she said. "Clarke's home was so much smaller."

Raven entered the room and stood beside Anya. Luna immediately turned and her eyes seemed to rake over Raven's figure.

"That Lexa's twin? Wow is everyone in the Woods family hot?"

Anya glared suddenly, craning her head at Raven, a deep annoyance building within her.

"I'm standing right here."

Raven glanced at her, the grin fading from her lips.

"She isn't that hot," she said, trying to backtrack. "Where's everyone else?"

"Unpacking," Anya said. "They seemed in a hurry to escape Luna's company."

Raven frowned.

"Huh, I wonder why."

Anya narrowed her eyes at Raven, feeling uncharacteristically jealous. Raven didn't seem to notice and kissed her on the cheek the went searching for her friends to say hi, leaving Anya and Luna alone.

"Is that your girlfriend?" Luna asked, when Anya walked closer.

"Yes," Anya replied with annoyance. "Lexa said that you thought this was a bad idea. I assure you our security is first rate."

Luna didn't look at her or smile.

"You'll forgive me if I don't feel safe here, with Wallace's people after me and Lexa thinking she can take down armed gunmen."

"She has before," Anya replied with a smirk. "I wouldn't underestimate her if I was you."

Luna shook her head.

"You are all mad. It is hard to believe we are all related."

"Well," Anya said, stepping forward, "we are and it would do you well not to stare at my girlfriend if you don't want throwing out in the street. Understand?"

Luna swallowed nervously and nodded, Anya's glare more than intimidating.

"There's a bedroom prepared for you. Ask the staff if you need anything. Now please excuse me. I have work to do."

Anya turned on her heels and walked away leaving Luna alone in the home. She gazed around at her surroundings. It was hard to believe this was her family home. She had seen images of her parents and known how wealthy they were. It was why she had been so well taken care of in their absence but it was all so unfamiliar to her. She was used to science labs and white rooms more than she was a home.

_I guess I'll have to try and get along here_ she thought.

Luna knew that she was well out of her comfort zone. She had never had anyone but the scientists that raised her and Madi and she would not call her guardians a family by any means.

Madi suddenly entered the room and Luna smiled, genuinely pleased to see her again. She did love her little sister but she knew that Madi was better off with Clarke and Lexa than with herself. She had no idea how to be a parent figure and had just about managed to keep Madi safe when her guardians had passed away.

"Hi Luna. Are you feeling better?"

"It hurts but I'm going to be okay. How are you doing? Do you like your new family?"

Madi smiled. It was a genuine smile but Luna could see the conflict there.

"It's okay Madi," Luna told her. "It's not a competition. I just want you to be happy."

"Lexa is fun and so badass. We were in the jungle and it was amazing and Anya is totally cool and an incredible businesswoman and Clarke... well I really like her. She protected me when they were chasing us. She taught me how to draw and said we were a family."

Luna had guessed as much that Madi was settling in well with them.

"What about you though?" Madi asked. "You'll be alone. You're part of the family."

Luna didn't know what to say. Madi was the only person she had ever truly regarded as family. Lexa, Clarke, Anya.... they were nothing to her.

"It's complicated kid," Luna said. "I have science to keep me company. You know I'm at my best peering into a microscope."

"You've always loved science," Madi acknowledged. "You should give them a chance. They're different than we thought."

"I'll try," Luna said, unable to bear the hurt in those gray blue eyes.

Clarke appeared suddenly from the hall entrance, making her way over to Luna to check her wounds and she wondered how long Clarke had been listening.

"You're healing well. Your nightblood has induced more rapid healing," Clarke said. "Might scar though."

"Thank you," Luna said.

Clarke frowned at her and glanced at Madi who was now sitting beside Luna on the sofa. Deep down a part of Clarke felt concerned at having Luna there, like she might want to take Madi away from them. On one hand she was angry that Luna had effectively ditched Madi and decided against having anything to do with Lexa and Anya. On the other hand she deeply feared that Madi would want to go back to living with Luna after it was all over. For some reason Clarke had quickly becomed attached to the young nightblood.

"It's no problem. Lexa is outside in the treehouse. She likes to go there to think so she might be up there for a while. I think she missed it."

"A treehouse?" Luna asked, clearly unimpressed.

"Yeah? A treehouse. Is there something wrong with your hearing?" Clarke snapped.

Clarke stopped herself from saying something worse not wanting to argue in front of Madi.

"Anyway. She might be out there most of the day. She likes being up high in the trees. It makes her feel safe to watch over her environment. It was safer to be off the ground in the jungle."

Clarke glanced away.

"Hey Madi. I'm going to go and do some artwork. Did you want to see my studio?"

"No thank," Madi replied quietly. "I'm going to stay with Luna for a while.

"Sure," Clarke said, feeling just a little rejected. "Maybe later then."

"Maybe," Madi replied.

Clarke lowered her head and turned and walked away.

  
Anya saw Clarke zip past her office and shut herself in her studio while she was on the phone to a business associate. She eyed the blonde and quickly excused herself from the call and made her way after. Clarke only turned briefly to see who it was and then returned to sketching at her desk.

"Do you have a minute?" Anya asked.

"Sure. Take a seat."

Anya seated herself on the spare chair that Lexa often used when she wanted to sit in the room while Clarke worked.

"Can we trust this Luna woman? She seems a little...?"

"Rude? Arrogant? Annoying?" Clarke replied.

Anya was a little surprised. Clarke so rarely showed hostility towards anyone. Only with Titus had she seen Clarke so bothered by another person.

"Wow. She really got to you. What did she say?"

Clarke lifted her head.

"She thinks Lexa is primitive. She acts like she's better than her because she was raised by scientists and Lexa..."

Clarke shook her head in annoyance and looked away.

"Oh," Anya said. "She insulted Lexa."

"Insulted her," Clarke repeated, "she wanted nothing to do with her. She had no intention of ever coming back for Madi. She was just gonna leave her."

Anya frowned sensing this was a deeper issue to Clarke, than Luna just judging Lexa.

"You're afraid," she said. "You're afraid she will want Madi back and that Madi will choose her."

"How could she not choose her?" Clarke said. "We've only known her a little while. Luna raised her."

"And that bothers you more than you expected it to."

"I don't know," Clarke said sullenly. "I just. I felt like - it's been so great having her around. Like we were a family already. I guess I just don't want to lose that."

"You won't," Anya said. "Madi will always be Lexa's little sister and even if she did live with Luna she would visit and stay with you from time to time."

Clarke tilted her head to the side, thinking about her words.

"I guess you're right. We didn't start off on the best foot. When it comes to Lexa, I get more protective than usual."

"I know," Anya said with a smile. "You love her."

"Very much," Clarke said softly.

They were both silent for a moment and then Clarke shook her head.

"Well," she said with a smile. "I know why she pissed me off. What did do to you?"

Anya glared, almost pouting now.

"Raven called her hot," she growled.

"Raven calls everyone hot. It's her thing," Clarke said reassuringly.

"I didn't like how Luna looked at her," she scowled.

Clarke's smile widened and she had to stop herself laughing at Anya's sudden irrational jealousy. Anya side eyed her.

"Don't you dare laugh," she warned, trying to fight the urge to crack a smile back.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Clarke said calmly.

"Oh shut up," Anya replied haughtily.

Clarke grinned now, deeply amused.

"Anyway. Me and Rae are gonna stay here until this is all over. I won't feel right returning to our place until I know that this is dealt with."

"Anya," Clarke said. "Have I told how amazing you are?"

Anya actually blushed and Clarke smiled.

"Thank you Clarke. I better get back to work now. I have a lot to do."

Clarke watched as she exited and it struck her that of all the Woods family, Lexa was the only one who didn't get deeply embarrassed by emotions. Anya preferred to throw herself in her work while Luna was acting as if she didn't feel anything for anyone. Clarke had seen how fondly she had smiled at Madi. Luna truly cared for her.

_I guess I need time to think too_ Clarke thought to herself.

She glanced out her window and up at the trees knowing that Lexa was up there and smiled broadly.

_You really are one of a kind ai houmon._


	31. Ai Tombom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Lexa spend some quality time together in the treehouse together. 
> 
> Warning - Smut

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I stayed up all night writing this. I hope you like it now I'm gonna go and sleep. ☺

Lexa turned when Clarke snuck into her treehouse, climbing along the branch outside their bedroom window.

"Hey," Clarke said. "You okay up here?"

"I missed it," Lexa replied, meeting her gaze.

A smile appeared on Clarke's face.

"Me too."

Clarke shuffled over next to Lexa and put her hand on her knee.

"What are you thinking about?" Clarke asked.

"Family," Lexa said. "I'm angry at my parents and what they did. I would never have done that."

"I know," Clarke said softly.

Lexa turned to her.

"Luna thinks me unintelligent."

Clarke felt calmer now as she thought of Luna and Madi after talking with Anya.

"Lexa you're one of the smartest people I have ever met. Other people are just to idiotic to see it. It's their bias. Their bigotry."

Lexa glanced towards the window of their bedroom.

"Do you remember that night? The first time we were together."

Clarke smiled and blinked, gazing up at Lexa.

"I could never forget. Your first time ever and my first time with you. I had fallen so hard for you. It pains me that other people can't see how much more you are than just 'the Legendary Jungle Woman."

Lexa's lips curved in amusement and she lowered her gaze. It had been one of the many headlines about Lexa after the press event. After a time they had both tired of strangers coming up to Lexa and thinking her primitive or asking her to show them some 'jungle tricks'.

"Not everyone is as perceptive as you are," Lexa replied.

"So screw them. They don't deserve you."

Lexa chuckled, despite herself.

"You are much fiercer than you pretend to be Clarke."

A smile spread across Clarke's lips. Lexa shifted closer, tilting Clarke's head towards her own.

"And you are very sweet."

Lexa leaned in and brought their lips together, her eyes closing as she sank into the kiss. They had rarely needed words to understand each other and even now they didn't need say anything. When their lips parted, Lexa rested her forehead on Clarke's and they stayed like that both with their eyes closed.

"I remember every second of that night," Clarke whispered. "It changed my life."

They opened their eyes and reached for each other, Lexa's knuckles grazing down the side of Clarke's cheek.

"Our lives changed the moment we met," Lexa whispered.

Clarke exhaled deeply and surged forward to kiss her again. She unbuttoned Lexa's shirt carefully, slipping it back over her shoulders to reveal nothing underneath. Clarke stripped off her shirt and they undressed each other slowly.

Lexa grabbed her shirt, holding it against Clarke's bare back and lay Clarke down on her back on it, falling down with her and pressing her lips to pink skin. She brushed Clarke's hair back from her neck and began to kiss over the soft skin there, watching it redden as Clarke became hotter as Lexa worked her up. She pressed her hand to the wooden floorboard, holding herself above Clarke and guiding herself down her body. Clarke shuddered as Lexa's lips explored secret places, her hip bone, the inside of her thigh, her soft belly.

Lexa moved to position herself inbetween Clarke's legs, worshipping them with her kisses. Clarke guided her back up so that they were eye to eye and then slipped her legs between Lexa's and saw those green eyes darken as their bodies joined. It was easy to see Lexa as primal and primitive but she wasn't. Even in these moments where she was at the mercy of her own arousal, she was tender. She was passion and sweetness.

Clarke was sure that it was arrogance that made people see Lexa as less than them. They were so comfortable in the idea that their way of life was right. They clung to it like an identity, as if not being superior was what they feared the most because it shattered every belief they had about being civilised.

Clarke had travelled extensively and she knew that no matter where you went, people were just people and some people always thought that they were better than others, either because of how they spoke or their wealth or just a strange belief that their culture was inherently better than anothers.

In these moments Clarke knew just how wrong they were. Lexa was as kind and intelligent and perceptive as anyone else could be, more so than most.

When they made love sometimes it was playful, sometimes it sweet and tender, sometimes they were tearing each others clothes off, unable to resist each other but it was always open. Lexa gave herself openly with no thought of barriers and that always melted Clarke's heart.

So often she'd tried to connect with people when she had dated before meeting Lexa. She had tried to share herself with them, talking about herself, going through all the effort of trying to get to know them and yet they always seemed more interested in the performance, in chasing the goal and Clarke had always been deflated by how little she ended up knowing them. It was why she had hated dating.

Lexa was the first person who shared everything of herself with Clarke. She just said 'here I am and I want to know you and to be with you' and in that sense it had been simple. Lexa never pretended, never deceived, never played games and for that reason, Clarke knew that she would never love another so deeply.

Lexa's leg wrapped around hers, her limbs so strong but never rough, always careful and they moved together, adding their hands now and slipping into each other.

There was no one she trusted with her body more than Lexa. The woman was a goddess when it came to making love to her and Clarke had never been so satisfied with anyone else ever.

Lexa as always managed to bring Clarke to climax first, someone able to play her body as thoroughly well as she did everything else.

Clarke threw her head back but slipped her fingers deeper into Lexa, feeling that she was near too and then Lexa moaned in that utterly sinful way that she always did that destroyed any notion of resisting her that Clarke had ever had.

Lexa cried out under her breath and buried her head into Clarke's neck, pushing herself firmly against her, practically clawing at the wooden floor beneath them as if trying to grip something.

When her body stilled, she just lay on top of Clarke, both of them with their eyes still closed, panting. Lexa purred and hugged into Clarke, her arms softening around her.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" Clarke teased, her voice coming out dry from her throat as she opened her eyes for a split second.

"Only like a million times," Lexa mumbled, rubbing her nose against the side of Clarke's neck just under her jawline as they both slipped their fingers out slowly.

Clarke smiled and closed her eyes again. They were both happily drifting off now. Lexa stirred for a second and reached over to one of the blankets she kept in the treehouse, not moving from Clarke as she did. She yanked it up her bare back, covering the two of them. It was thin but would be warm enough and they were both more than used to sleeping without a bed.

Clarke cuddled into her side and they both relaxed against each other as they fell asleep together. 


	32. Bound by Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wells gives Clarke and Lexa some mixed news about his findings and Luna begins to adapt to her new surroundings.

"Griff! What the hell-? Where are you?"

Clarke awoke instantly in the treehouse, tangled up with Lexa, who was sleeping heavily on top of her. She pushed her off and grabbed the nearest shirt she could find and her underwear and trousers and rushed to the sound of Raven's voice.

She saw Raven in the bedroom window.

"There you are. Wells is here to see you. Wells!"

Clarke clamboured along the branch and awkwardly back into the window as Wells entered the room and he eyed her hastily buttoned shirt curiously.

"It's Lexa's shirt," she told him quickly. "We slept in the treehouse last night.

"I bet," he replied with a hint of amusement. "Anyway, I've got news for you both."

"I'll go and wake her," Clarke said. "Give me five minutes. I'll meet you downstairs."

  
Wells waited for fifteen minutes below the treehouse until Lexa suddenly landed down in front of him, an arm wrapped around Clarke's waist as she swung down from a rope.

Lexa was wearing worn jeans and a top that he was sure was Clarke's. Her hair was loose and wavy and she looked as if she had just woken up.

"Wells, you didn't make it to our wedding. This is my wife Lexa."

He held out his hand and Lexa shook it firmly.

"Pleased to meet you."

"You too. Clarke says you have information. Is it about Cage?"

Wells looked uncomfortable now.

"We should go inside. We shouldn't talk out here."

Clarke and Lexa just exchanged a glance and then followed him into the house.

They sat down in Anya's study as she was already travelling to the office by that time.

"I found proof," Wells said, "but there's a problem."

"What? What's wrong?"

Clarke saw how crestfallen he looked. She had known him for a long time and whatever it was, it was personal for him.

"My dad is implicated. Cage has been hiring the Queens to do the dirty work. First Ontari and Nia and now Roan Queen. He almost left no trail but I found some financial transactions through a third party company he owns."

Clarke's eyes widened.

"How does that implicate your dad?"

Wells avoided her eyes now.

"Because he's working with Roan Queen to get elected and there's a clear trail. It's obvious that Cage has set it up so that my dad and Roan will both take the fall. He's keeping his hands pretty clean."

Clarke drew back in her seat, inhaling sharply. She had known Thelonius Jaha since she was a child. He knew her parents and yet he was involved with the people who wanted to destroy her family.

"Clarke I can't put my own dad in prison. The files I have would put him away for life. As angry as I am with him..."

"Is there no other way to prove it? No other avenue?" Clarke asked.

Wells pushed a business card at her.

"This guy can help. I heard that Cage has more unsavoury business ventures, one's not associated with my dad. A scandal that stops him being elected I can deal with but jail? I can't do that to him."

"Nathan Miller?" Clarke read aloud.

"He's good, very good. Former intelligence services. If there's a way to bring Cage down, he'll find it."

Clarke frowned, not feeling reassured but she knew that it couldn't be helped.

"And in the mean time?" Lexa asked Wells, "they will still come for us nightbloods?"

"I'm sorry," Wells replied. "I wish I could do more."

Clarke touched his forearm to reassure him that she wasn't mad.

"It can't be helped. He's your dad. I understand that you can't turn against him."

Wells sighed and Lexa took the card and turned it over in her hands.

"Thank you Wells Jaha," she said, rather formally. "You have done a great deal of work here."

"Oh, I found one more thing," he said.

He pulled a file from his briefcase and slid it over.

"This is everything known about the third party company he uses to hide his transactions. It's called Eligius Corporation. I hope it helps."

Clarke nodded and they got to their feet.

"Thanks Wells. I really appreciate all you've done."

"I'm glad you're happy Clarke," he said, with a smile. "Never thought I'd see the day you'd be settled down."

He smiled at Lexa, his eyes shining as if to convey to her that he knew Lexa had a lot to do with it.

"Do you want to stay a while before you drive back?" Clarke asked hopefully. "We have space."

"Thanks but I can't. I need to get back to Arkadia for another case."

Clarke nodded at him, a little disappointed that he was leaving so soon but understanding that he was too busy to catch up. He got up and rushed out and Lexa rubbed a hand over the back of Clarke's back.

"Is this ever going to end?" Clarke asked. "Every time we get close to bringing Cage down there's another obstacle."

"Sometimes the hunt is slow and frustrating," Lexa said. "Failure is a part of life. We will stop him."

Clarke turned to her.

"And until then?"

Lexa rubbed her back softly, soothing Clarke's concerns.

"Until then we fight," she said plainly.

There was such determination in her eyes, such clarity. Lexa always amazed her with how she managed to take everything so calmly when it came to danger. It was the social stuff she struggled with, the nuanced, social expectations. When it came to battles, Lexa was a natural strategist.

Clarke leaned into her shoulder and Lexa placed her arm across the back of her shoulders, as Clarke's arm came up around her neck.

  
After a week at the Woods family home, Luna began to recover from her injuries. She was still in pain and moved rather stiffly but she could walk around and she found herself mostly alone in the big house, except for the large amount of animals, the family seemed to have adopted. When she stumbled out into the garden and saw a few horses roaming freely, she was alarmed but then they paid no attention to her, too busy grazing on the hay left out for them.

Luna wanted for nothing, the few members of staff tending to her needs and Madi checked in on her but Clarke and Lexa spoke to her only when needed both seeming more concerned with something else.

They'd been out a lot, meeting with someone they said was working on helping them with Cage but Luna didn't know what was happening.

One day one of the larger horses, a brown one with a white nose, came over to her and she froze up suddenly. She had never been around animals. She was much more at home indoors and away from nature.

"She only wants to be friends," a voice said from above her.

Luna looked up and saw Lexa, sitting in a tree, appearing completely relaxed where she was. Lexa jumped down, landing perfectly and made a few sounds, reaching up to stroke the side of the horses face.

"This is Midnight. She's very reserved but she's curious with new people."

Luna just looked alarmed.

"Here," Lexa said, taking Luna hand and placing it on Midnight's neck.

Luna held her breath but as she felt the softness of Midnight's brown coat, something sparked inside her that she had never felt before.

"It's soft," she exclaimed.

Midnight turned her head and nudged Luna to continue and Luna smiled broadly.

"Animals are easy to understand that people ," Lexa said softly, "and they are good listeners."

Luna was transfixed by the creature. She had always thought them primitive beasts. Her guardians had thought very little of animals, always talking about humans as a superior species but it was not primitive. She saw intelligence in its eyes and it seemed as aware of her as she was of it.

"She was underfed and neglected when we found her," Lexa told her. "They kept her alone and shut in a stable most of the time. No one would buy her and they could not afford her. She is much happier now she can roam freely and has company."

Luna glanced at Lexa who spoke so eloquently, despite the broken manner of English she often used. She had maybe judged Lexa too quickly. The woman had a grace about her, a stillness that was intriguing.

"You really love animals don't you?" Luna asked.

"Not all of them," Lexa said. "It depends. They are like people. They have personalities but I understand them and they me so we usually get along."

Lexa patted Midnight and whispered a few words in her ear and then started walking towards the house. The horse had responded to Lexa as if they were communicating. All the animals seemed to respond to Lexa. Luna had seen them follow her quietly or Lexa walk up and greet them and there was always a silent understanding between them.

That wasn't all. She had watched Lexa teach Madi to fight, patient and calm but playful. She made it look easy and Madi seemed to look up to her like she was a hero.

And then there was Clarke. Lexa was never too far from Clarke and even when they parted it wasn't for very long. Lexa was so sweet with Clarke. She bounded over and wrapped her arms around her and kissed her whenever they returned to each other. She often hugged Clarke from the back and ducked her down as if hiding there gave her comfort.

Clarke always gazed back at her and they shared secret smiles and gentle kisses whenever they could. It was the softest she ever saw both of them and they seemed absolutely in love.

The more she was around them both, the more she began to see how wrong she was about Lexa. She was quiet but deeply perceptive and always aware of everything that happened around her.

_And she's my twin_ she thought.

Luna had tried to pretend that it didn't mean anything to her but when she saw Madi and Lexa playfighting together and laughing she could not help but see the resemblance between them both and her.

Midnight nudged her in protest that she wasn't paying attention and Luna turned to the creature and frowned. The animal seemed to sense her concerns.


	33. The Way of the Jungle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Lexa don't get the result they were hoping for with Miller and Luna goes missing briefly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm a bit slower with this one. I've been preoccupied with other things but I will still be updating frequently.
> 
> Also thanks for your comments. I appreciate them very much!

"Nothing? What do you mean nothing?"  
  
Clarke was losing her patience, something unusual for for her. Lexa urged her to sit back down and took her hand. Miller was apologetic but Lexa could see that he was partly relieved. His brown eyes were sharp and he knew that these were dangerous people he was chasing.   
  
"We will find another way," Lexa said. "Sometimes the hunt is slow, especially with tricky prey."  
  
Clarke exhaled and Miller just looked between them.   
  
"Thank you for trying," Lexa said, addressing him directly.   
  
Clarke thanked him begrudgingly and stormed out into the hall. Lexa followed and reached for her but Clarke pulled away.   
  
"It's never going to end," she snapped, throwing up her arms. "He's untouchable."  
  
"No," Lexa said. "No one is. Not even Wallace. All we need is a way to draw him into a trap."  
  
"How?" Clarke replied frowning.   
  
"Nia," Lexa said, raising an eyebrow "He betrayed her. Maybe she will be willing to do the same to him."  
  
Clarke paused and a smile came to her lips.   
  
"I'm sorry I snapped," she said. "I'm just-"  
  
"I understand Clarke," Lexa replied.  
  
Clarke moved forward and wrapped her arms around Lexa's waist. Lexa brushed her hair back behind her ears delicately caressing Clarke's cheek.   
  
"How are you this calm?" Clarke asked, gazing back at her.  
  
Lexa cupped her face.  
  
"Do you know why some animals are much more successful hunters than others?"  
  
Clarke shook her head.   
  
"Because they are smarter," Lexa said, emphasising her words. "A jaguar will climb a tree and kill with a single attack. Cage thinks he's a jaguar but he's a loud boar and we will strike him down."  
  
Clarke leaned in and rested her forehead on Lexa's drinking in the comfort that her presence gave her. Lexa always had this effect on her. She made her feel safe no matter what the situation.   
  
Lexa's phone started ringing and both Clarke and Lexa looked down at her pocket in surprise. Lexa barely used her phone, let alone received many calls.   
  
Lexa pulled out the device and saw that it was Anya.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"What the hell is taking you two so long? I've been babysitting the kid all afternoon. I have work to do."  
  
Lexa frowned.   
  
"Isn't Luna there?"  
  
"No, she asked me to watch Madi for an hour but it's been four hours."  
  
"What's going on?" Clarke whispered.  
  
"Luna left Madi with Anya and hasn't been seen since."  
  
Clarke frowned.   
  
"Do you think she's left for good?"  
  
Lexa sighed and shook her head before returning to her phonecall.   
  
"We were just returning home. Hold on."  
  
Lexa hung up the phone and glanced at Clarke.   
  
"What?" Clarke asked. "You know where she is?"  
  
"I have an idea," Lexa said.   
  
Clarke understood now.   
  
"Go. You go and find her. I'll take the car back home and take care of Madi."  
  
Lexa nodded and gave Clarke a quick kiss on the lips before running down the hall and out of the building towards her goal. Clarke blinked still in awe of her wife even after so long. They had talked about Luna. Lexa and her had been getting closer, having more conversations. Luna seemed to have changed her opinion of Lexa since they'd bonded over horses. Lexa had been teaching Luna all about her animal friends she lived with and Luna had slowly began to learn that she had been wrong about everything.   
  
_Go get your sister back_ Clarke thought. _Bring her home_.   
  
  
Anya was growing more and more impatient. She adored Madi but her meeting was due to start in ten minutes and it was incredibly important to the company for her to be there. She paced back and forth. Raven was out of town, visiting Octavia and some friends or she would have asked for her to help.   
  
Clarke finally entered and Anya rushed out making her apologies leaving Clarke and Madi glancing at each other.   
  
"Why is she always like that?" Madi asked. "She always in a rush."  
  
"Er, Anya has a lot of responsibility. It doesn't leave much free time."  
  
Madi shrugged.   
  
"Can I go to school?"  
  
"What?" Clarke said, wide-eyed. "You want to go to school? Right now, with all the danger? Absolutely not."  
  
Madi gazed at her with those sad blue eyes, trying to win Clarke over.   
  
"Madi it's too dangerous. Maybe when it's all over but not right now."  
  
"But other kids my age get to go. I've never been. I don't know anyone my own age. Am I supposed to hide away for the rest of my life?"  
  
Clarke shook her head. She wanted Madi to have all those things but the thought of something happening to her made her nauseous.  
  
"Just trust me," she replied. "We're doing everything we can to fix this."  
  
Clarke suddenly heard a buzz at the front gate entrance and froze.   
  
"Stay here," she told Madi, on high alert immediately.   
  
Clarke rang gate security and they gave her a description of the person.   
  
"He's alone? Alright. Let him in."  
  
Clarke hung up the phone and raised an eyebrow at Madi.  
  
"Well, it looks like today just got more interesting," she said with a note of humour. "We have a visitor."  
  
Madi's face lit up into a smile and Clarke hoped to God that Luna would return, not for herself but for the kid looking up at her now so hopefully. It would break her heart if Luna ran away again.   
  
  
Lexa used the trees and rooftops to travel faster. Polis was a city like Arkadia but much larger and with more suburbs. She jogged across the fastest path she knew and landed outside the library and entered. When she spotted Luna alone at a table she sat herself down in the chair beside her.   
  
"How did you know I would be here?" Luna asked, not even looking around.   
  
"Because our family name is on the building. They funded this library just before we were born. It was all over the news before they left for Brazil."  
  
"It's a beautiful place," Luna admitted. "They loved knowledge didn't they. Like me."  
  
Luna seemed pensive so Lexa touched her shoulder in reassurance and Luna turned to her twin.   
  
"Did they even care about me? They sent me away as their science experiment. I've valued knowledge my whole life but it doesn't replace family."  
  
"I don't know," Lexa said softly. "Maybe they thought it was going to save a lot of lives. They left me too and I asked myself the same question."  
  
"And what was your conclusion?"  
  
"That it's irrelevant," Lexa said.  
  
Luna frowned, not understanding at all.   
  
"How is it irrelevant?"  
  
"They are not here and we are. We never knew them. Me, you, Madi, Anya, Clarke, we are family. Raven is family. Our friends and family are here, not in the past."  
  
Luna smiled gratefully and turned away.   
  
"Were you really raised by jaguars as the papers say? I still find that hard to believe."  
  
"One jaguar," Lexa corrected her. "She had lost her cub just before she found me. She was a mother in need of a cub and I was a cub in need of a mother."  
  
"Interesting," Luna replied. "You are perhaps the most fascinating person I've ever met. I'm sorry I ever thought you primitive."  
  
"I forgive you."  
  
There was a silence between them for a moment.   
  
"I still miss her," Lexa admitted.  
  
Luna turned to her.  
  
"My mother. To your people she was a wild animal, to me she was the one who raised me, who taught me to hunt and to survive. I would not have made it without her."  
  
"How did she die?" Luna asked.   
  
"I have no idea," Lexa said plainly. "Probably old age. Jaguars leave their mothers once they are adults. They are protective but harsh mothers."  
  
"Oh," Luna replied, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "Sounds tough."  
  
"It is the way of the jungle," Lexa said calmly.   
  
Luna smiled again and suddenly hugged Lexa. It was so uncharacteristic of her that even Lexa was surprised.   
  
"Don't ever change sister," Luna said warmly. "You are truly remarkable. I understand now why Clarke was so mad at me for judging you."  
  
Lexa smiled slightly as if a proud that Clarke had defended her to Luna.   
  
"Clarke is a jaguar too," she said proudly. "In spirit at least.  
  
Lexa turned to her.  
  
"But she is forgiving too. She will not hold a grudge against you."  
  
"And Anya?" Luna joked. "She does not like me."  
  
"She may hold a grudge forever but only because you showed interest in Raven and she felt threatened."  
  
Luna thought she was serious but when Lexa's stoic face cracked into a wide grin, she knew that Lexa was joking. She laughed and shook her head.   
  



	34. The Hunter and the Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anya returns home to find they have a new house guest and the power goes which prompts camping and a story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all your comments and keeping up with this story. Sorry if I haven't replied. I've just been taking some time off.

The young boy with strawberry blonde hair said he was named Aden and Clarke knew that if he had travelled all that way alone, he must have a good reason. She told him his name and he gave Madi a sideways glance cautiously. 

"Where are your guardians?"

"That's the thing," Aden said. "I can't go back. They're putting me back into the foster system."

Clarke noticed how neglected he appeared, his clothing worn, his frame slim. 

"How did you even get here?"

He blinked and turned away as if in shame and she guessed he took some money from his guardians without them knowing.

"Never mind. Lexa isn't here right now but she'll be back soon. Do you want something to eat?"

Aden nodded shyly and there was gratitude in his eyes. 

  
When Anya arrived home later that evening, Lexa, Clarke, Madi, Luna and an unfamiliar boy where all eating pizza and watching a film in the lounge area. 

_Another one_ she thought. _This house is getting more and more crowded by the day._

Anya shook her head and crossed her arms. 

"So you found her I see," she said dryly. 

Lexa turned her head. 

"Anya. Come and sit with us. We have a new guest."

Anya frowned, giving Luna a brief glare before seating herself down.

"This is Aden," Lexa said. "He needed our assistance. He is in need of a foster family and we have rang the agency to see if that is possible."

"I'll be good," Aden said. "You won't even know I'm here."

"They're letting you keep him?"

"For the time being," Clarke replied. "They had no other spaces for him to go. We'll have to formalise everything yet."

Anya glanced at her. 

"And you are okay with that?"

Clarke met Anya's eyes.

"Yes. We have money and space and we can get a bigger house in Arkadia for us all. Why not?"

Anya frowned, unable to argue with her logic but still disliking how much things were changing. She missed Raven so much it was making her grumpier by the day.

"Okay but I think we have bigger problems to deal with right n-"

The lights suddenly went out and the whole house became dark. Everyone grabbed their phones as Anya searched for matches to light some of the candles that decorated the room. 

"What's happening?"

"It must be a power cut," Anya told them, more frustrated than concerned. "I shall get someone to check what's happening and how long it will be like this?"

Clarke was sat inbetween Madi and Lexa, Aden to Lexa's right. She heard a low growl eminating from Lexa that suddenly put her on edge and she shot a look at her. Lexa was not afraid of the dark but something was upsetting her, something instinctive and Clarke had learned in the jungle to trust Lexa's instincts. 

"Stay here," Clarke told the kids as she got up to collect the handgun she had locked away for safekeeping in case of emergency. 

She headed into the study and unlocked the case, loaded it and slipped it into the back of her jeans, covering it with her shirt. She turned around to find Lexa standing there and jumped. 

"I do not like this," Lexa snarled, her head tilting to one side as she listened to every little sound. 

"I know," Clarke replied, placing a hand on Lexa's stomach. "We should stay alert."

Lexa nodded and they both headed back into the lounge where Anya was just getting back off the phone. 

"It's just a fault. Might not be back up until the morning. We'll have to make do."

Madi groaned, already bored from the lack of TV and her phone running out of battery. 

"We should make a fire outside," Lexa said. "Tell stories."

Clarke knew what Lexa was doing. She wanted to be out in the open air in case something did happen and she wanted the family all together so she could protect them better. 

"We can toast marshmellows," Clarke said, feigning excitement so that Madi and Aden wouldn't know they were worried. 

Madi grinned. 

"I'll get the marshmellows!" 

Clarke glanced at Lexa thoughtfully and then headed away after Madi who was already heading for the kitchen.

"Aden," Lexa said, "do you wish to learn how to make a fire?"

"Sure but won't Madi want to learn too?"

Lexa smiled at him. He was such a thoughtful boy.

"I already taught her that. She needs no such lesson."

Aden nodded and then followed Lexa into the garden.

When Clarke and Madi came out they were all already there, sitting on the grass, Anya on a blanket and the fire was already blazing. Lexa was an expert at this, Clarke already knew, though she had only needed fire to cook her food in the rainforest and the rain season usually made that all the more difficult. 

"Will you tell us a story about the jungle?" Aden asked, once they were all roasting their marshmellows. 

Lexa was thoughtful and quiet, still alert for danger but she smiled wistfully as the flames darted in the reflection of her pupils. 

"There once was a jaguar cub by the name of Baya. He was very big for his age and thought himself stronger than all the other cubs in the jungle and that he would one day be the most fearsome hunter of all."

Clarke smiled to herself. She had heard this story many times. 

"Baya was big and strong for sure but he was not so smart and one day he met another jaguar cub by accident when he wandered too far from his mother The cub who was very little for her ages was named Onca and she was curious about Baya but kept her distance, listening to her mother's wisdom, not to roam too far from home.

Baya thought her fear funny and mocked her, bounding over to show her how strong he was and that he feared nothing but he knocked Onca over trying to play and suddenly heard the most ferocious growl. 

"Was it Onca's mother? I bet it was her mother!" Madi exclaimed. 

"It was," Lexa said, "and suddenly Baya who thought he was so brave and fearless was terrified as someone bigger and stronger than him bared their teeth at him and warned him to run away."

"So he learned his lesson?" Aden asked quietly. 

"No," Lexa said, "for he was always trying to prove himself even more after that and when he grew up, he got even more confident of himself and his hunting skills. One day he even decided that his territory should be bigger and wandered back into little Onca's territory, remembering how small she had been and thinking he could take it for himself.

But what he didn't know was that Onca had grown fierce and strong. Being smaller made her faster and smarter and she was already aware of his presence, having listened to her mother more than he did his and learned to be the best hunter she could be."

"Did they fight?" Madi asked. "I bet they fought."

Lexa shook her head. 

"They did not fight. She led him a merry dance with her scent, letting him follow it right into her trap. For in her territory there lived another hunter on two legs, one who leapt out from the trees and was her friend. The hunter started fighting with him until he was beaten and Baya gave in. The hunter did not kill him but gave him enough of a fight for him to learn that he could not win and he fled, leaving clever Onca victorious by her friend's side."

"Was that you? Is was you wasn't it?" 

Madi's voice was full of excitement but Lexa merely nodded in reply. 

"Did he come back?" Aden asked softly. "Did Baya try again?"

"Sometimes he pushed his luck," Lexa said, but he knew he would not win and always skulked back away. The hunter saw him regularly but one day it was another she saw needing help from his bullying."

"Clarke!" Madi exclaimed. 

"Really?" Aden asked. 

"You always tell this story," Clarke said, with a note of humour. "You think you'd have tired of it by now."

"Never," Lexa said, gazing at her.

Clarke's cheeks reddened and she turned away. 

"Finish the story," Madi urged. "I want to hear the end."

"You've heard this bit before," Clarke teased. 

"But I wanna hear it again."

Lexa rests her hands on her thighs, sitting cross-legged now.

"The hunter had many friends in the jungle but she knew that she was not like them. They had fur and she did not. They had claws and she only small nails and her teeth were not as sharp or her jaw as powerful as other animals. She spent most of her life learning to embrace her difference and use it to her advantage but she sometimes wished there was someone like her, someone who could help her to understand what she was." 

Lexa exhaled suddenly.

"The few she saw like her seemed to fear her and she had to stay hidden from them."

Lexa met Clarke's eyes and she saw how much emotion lay behind them. Clarke had known that Lexa had never felt a sense of belonging truly for most of her life. 

"One day the hunter noticed Baya trying to creep into Onca's territory again and followed him but then she saw someone like her, another woman, someone who made her heart sing with joy in an instant. She kept watch as Baya threatened her and saw how frightened she was and leapt to her defence for the woman did not know that Baya would not truly hurt her."

"He looked terrifying," Clarke said, shooting a look at Lexa. 

Lexa rose her eyebrows, smiled and shrugged.

"The hunter looked into the eyes of the woman and was struck down with awe. She fell in love right away, though she did not know what the feeling meant and the woman did not run away in fear like others of her kind usually did and for once the hunter was with one of her own kind."

"So you fell in love and got married," Madi said. "Is that the end?"

Lexa shook her head. 

"No. Her heart desired it to be so but the strange woman was not so sure. She didn't know what to make of the hunter and wasn't sure it would be right so she was cautious. They became closer over time and the hunter fell for her more and more as they learned to communicate in a language she had long forgotten... but the other woman resisted, keeping distance between them because she feared Lexa didn't know what she wanted."

"Why?" Madi asked. "It was obvious you loved each other."

"It's not always that easy," Clarke replied quietly, remembering how confused she had been over her feelings for Lexa back then. 

"No it's not," Lexa said, "and when the hunter's long lost family came to find her they wanted to take her home with them and away from her love and the hunter thought if she became like others of her kind, the woman choose to be with her."

Madi and Aden both glanced at Clarke, frowning. 

"Hey, I didn't tell her that. It never mattered to me."

Lexa smiled and closed her eyes for a second. 

"So you just left her to go with Anya?" Aden asked. 

"Yes," Lexa replied. "The hunter thought it best. She needed to know where she came from. She was torn between the jungle and the human world, belonging to neither so she returned to live with humans but she was not prepared for how her heart broke at the loss of her love or how she would miss the jungle."

"That must've been tough," Luna said suddenly. 

She had been listening very quietly, thinking deeply about Lexa's story. 

"But then one day, the woman came to visit her and the hunter was filled with joy, for she had begun to realise that belonging was not about being in the jungle or being in the human world but about the people she loved."

"And then you got married?" Madi asked. 

"Almost. The hunter was never sure how her love felt for her so she waited patiently, hoping that one day she would feel the same but one night the woman admitted that she loved the hunter too and they both realised that they were truly in love. There was one more barrier though. Another wanted her love's attention. A floppy haired buffoon of a man thought he could force the woman to marry him and the hunter ignored his feebleness. Finally he lost his temper and tried to fight the hunter."

"Oh I saw that on a video. You knocked him out!" Madi chimed in.

"Did you?" Aden asked Lexa. 

"Yes but it was only because he left me no choice. A hunter chooses their battles wisely."

"And then you got married?" Madi said, tiring of the story now.

"That's the story," Lexa said. "The hunter found her mate and more family than she could ever have thought."

"Do you miss the jungle?" Aden asked. 

"Sometimes," Lexa said, turning towards him. "But we go back there often enough and sometimes now I miss the human world too when I am in the jungle."

"So home is the people you are with," Aden continued. "That's the message of the story. Family is in the heart."

Lexa nodded.

"Very good Aden."

"Are we camping out here?" Madi said. 

"If you wish," Lexa said, glancing at Clarke to see if she agreed. 

"There's sleeping bags you can use," Clarke said. 

Anya got to her feet before Clarke could move.

"I'll get them. I want to go and call Raven before she goes to bed. I'll grab them on the way back."

Clarke shuffled herself closer to Lexa, their thighs brushing together. Clarke leaned in to her.

"I'm glad you didn't mention your fixation with my boobs when we first met," she whispered. 

"I was curious," Lexa whined. "And they looked so good."

Clarke made a noise, half snorting, half laughing and lowered her head. 

"This feels like a diversion," Lexa said more seriously. "I'll stay awake and keep watch."

Clarke just lifted her head and leaned in to Lexa's side and took her hand. Though Anya was sure it was just a power cut, Clarke would trust her wife's gut feeling first and foremost. Lexa was rarely ever wrong.


	35. Good Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa stays awake to protect her family and has to deal with a few problems and Anya wakes up to a surprise. Clarke and Lexa had a nice moment as Lexa catches up on her sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigedasleng Translations
> 
> Mochof - Thank you  
Ai houmon laik bos - My wife is talented

Almost everyone was asleep in the Woods home, most of them camped outside in the garden, save for Luna and Anya who would rather have their beds. Only Lexa remained awake, sitting propped up against a tree, her wife sleeping soundly in her lap, Lexa's arm rested on her back. 

Lexa heard a sound in the distance and slipped Clarke aside carefully. She climbed up the tree silently and saw the small group of intruders making their way towards the house from the other side of the house. Lexa climbed over the roof and watched them enter, leaping down to take out the last man who entered and take his place. 

She followed them through the house taking down each last man one after the other until she tapped the final intruder on the shoulder. He turned and saw her in alarm but she punched him and knocked him out. 

Lexa dragged each of them into a large pile, binding them with the ropes she'd hidden in the kitchen cupboard. She then took their weapons and hid them in a safe place before returning to the garden where Clarke still slept soundly on her side on the ground. Lexa brushed back Clarke's hair from her face and made a noise almost like a hum before seating herself back down against the tree. 

She glanced at her family. Aden and Madi were sound asleep too in their sleeping bags. She would not sleep until morning. She would keep watch over them as long as she needed to.

My family she thought with a smile. Clarke shuffled over in her sleep to reach for Lexa and rest in her lap and Lexa ran her fingers through her wife's hair softly. 

  
Anya got up as usual that morning and found to her joy that the electricity was back on. She brushed her teeth and got an early shower and then headed into the kitchen for her first coffee of the day to find a group of men in black outfits who looked like mercinaries tied and gagged in the centre of the room. Some of Lexa's canine friends were standing guard, growling each time one of them moved. 

Anya hovered there, just stunned by the sight. 

"Lexa!" she called. "Want to tell me what happened last night!"

Clarke then entered the kitchen, making herself another cup of coffee. 

"Hi Anya. Lexa's sleeping in her treehouse. She was awake all night and the kids are watching TV in the lounge. I called the cops. They'll be here when they can."

Anya squeezed her eyes closed in frustration, pinching the bridge of her nose. How was Clarke so calm about this?

"I take it we have Lexa to thank for dealing with them."

"She said she didn't want to take us."

Anya groaned.

"It's too early for this."

She grabbed herself a cup of coffee and headed into her office to get some peace and quiet while she woke up. 

Clarke just smiled at her, shooting a look at the men who were struggling, bound and gagged in front of her. One was staring at her, clearly furious that they'd been bested. Clarke just smiled and lifted her cup. 

"Sorry guys. Can't let you go until the cops arrive. You picked the wrong house."

Clarke just hummed to herself as she headed for the lounge, knowing that they weren't going anywhere soon.

  
Several hours later after the intruders had been marched away in handcuffs and arrested and when the two children were busy playing video games in the lounge with Luna, Clarke crept into her bedroom, heading for the treehouse and stopped when she saw Lexa sleeping in the bed instead. Lexa was turned over on her side and was holding the blue jacket Clarke had once given, many years before, one that she could barely wrench away from Lexa to wash but had managed to on occassion. Lexa was sleeping peacefully and Clarke sighed and seated herself at the window, picking up her sketchpad.

She never tired of drawing Lexa. She often drew her as she remembered her in the jungle, wild and free, but she liked to draw her as she slept sometimes. She looked so vulnerable as she slept and it reminded her of the first time Lexa had stayed in her tent and had slept practically in her arms all night. 

Clarke let her mind drift as she focussed only on her art, very much aware that in a few hours they would get up and both go and visit Nia Queen to try and deal with Cage for once and all. 

She had thought over it in detail but now she let her mind forget for a time, knowing that a clear head would be better. She had woken to Lexa playing with her hair that morning, long fingers tangling in blonde locks. 

Lexa stirred suddenly and Clarke put down the pad as her wife yawned and stretched. 

"Good morning Mrs Woods," Clarke teased. 

"Good morning Mrs Woods," Lexa echoed back. 

Clarke laughed and sat down on the bed.

"We are never going to agree on that are we. I never changed my name. I like my name."

Lexa smiled and pulled her towards her. 

"In my head you are Mrs Woods so it's okay. I like your name too."

"I'd noticed," Clarke said, with a wide grin. "Especially my first name."

Lexa's smile broadened into a grin as she wrapped her arms around her wife. 

"Thank you by the way," Clarke whispered, "for staying awake all night. I hope you got enough sleep today."

"I did," Lexa whispered as they separated. "I'm hungry though."

"Well if you like I might just make you a very late breakfast."

Lexa raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of breakfast?"

"Hmm," Clarke purred, her hand resting on Lexa's knee. "How about eggs?"

Lexa's eyes lit up. 

"And bacon?"

Her eyes flashed with hunger in response. 

"And fried fresh tomatoes?"

Lexa growled. 

"Now I'm really hungry," she replied. 

"You get dressed. I'll make you breakfast. Love you."

Clarke leaned in and Lexa leaned towards her without even thinking as they pressed their lips together as they did most mornings. 

"Love you too."

Clarke got up and strode towards the door, still smiling.

"_Mochof_," Lexa yelled after her. 

"Least I could do."

Clarke was already half way down the stairs when she yelled back. Lexa just smiled and glanced towards the window where Clarke's sketch of her sleeping was visible in her open sketchpad.

"_Ai houmon laik bos_," she muttered. 


	36. Mutual Interests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa and Clarke visit Nia Queen in prison and Anya picks Raven up at the airport.

Nia Queen still appeared as regal as ever, even behind bars. She smirked at the sight of the two women as she was escorted to the table, her hands cuffed together. 

"I was wondering when you would ask for my help."

"We don't need your help," Clarke retorted. "But you have nothing to lose in giving it to us anyway."

Nia turned her head, her chin raised. 

"I have nothing to gain either."

"Not even revenge?" Lexa queried. "Your son Roan, he's working with Cage."

Something like ice cold rage flickered in her eyes. She steeled herself, clearly unaware of the fact.

"So that's how he planted the evidence in my company."

"Cage is good at covering his tracks," Clarke said. 

Nia exhaled as if deeply irritated. 

"Only for the purpose of revenge and my own self interest, I'll give you some advice. If you want to find Cage's secrets and prove he's behind this, get inside the network at Polaris Computing."

"Polaris Computing...?" Clarke started. 

Nia gave her a glare that sent a shiver down her spine.

"As for my coward of a son," Nia continued, "you might want to look into his financial records. His underground fighting habits are more than just a hobby. He's got into some of the more unsavoury types of employment since I cut him off."

"You cut him off?" Lexa asked, unfamiliar with the phrase.

"She means that she stopped giving him money."

"Oh," Lexa replied, turning her head. "Why?"

Nia scowled.

"To teach him a lesson that he clearly didn't learn. He's an embarrassment to my name. If I'd been smart I would've named Ontari my heir instead of him."

"Sure because that's an improvement," Clarke muttered under her breath. 

Nia glared directly at her as if warning her. Clarke met her gaze and lifted her chin refusing to be intimidated.

"If you really want to destroy Cage, forget about my son. Much as I'd like to see him put behind bars and get his hands off my company, Roan is just a hired thug. Polaris is the key."

The guards indicted it was time to go and Nia scowled as she was told to get back to her cell. She yanked her elbow away as one tried to grab it and bade them farewell. 

Clarke and Lexa just glanced at each other. 

"She's as pleasant as ever," Clarke said.

"Yes, but at least we have a lead."

Lexa sounded so serious that Clarke couldn't help but chuckle. 

"What?" Lexa asked, a smile breaking across her lips. 

"Sometimes you're just so stoic. You do this serious face and it's just - I don't know."

"You have an odd sense of humour Clarke."

Clarke grinned and reached for Lexa's hand as they stood up to go.

  
Anya was so excited she was almost giddy. She was meeting Raven at the airport and she couldn't wait to see her again. She held the flowers in one hand and fixed her hair. The second she saw the familiar ponytail and Raven laughing with some stranger she had probably just met on the plane and befriended, her heart soared. 

Raven stopped with surprise and smiled as Anya surged to kiss her.

"Miss me much?" Raven said with a grin as they parted. 

Anya handed her the flowers and her grin widened. 

"More than you know. It's been pretty chaotic here."

"That bad huh? Clarke told me they took in another kid. They been playing up?"

"No," Anya said. "The adults. Luna went missing and I woke up to a group of men bound and gagged in the kitchen."

"What? Seriously?"

Anya wrapped her arms around Raven. 

"Please never leave again," she joked. 

Raven was taken aback by the force of her hug. Anya wasn't one for being openly affectionate or showing vulnerability. Anya pulled back and then smiled. 

"I have a big evening planned for us both. I've booked us in for a meal at your favourite restaurant."

"Anya, I keep telling you that the burger cart isn't a restaurant," Raven joked.

Anya shook her head.

"Not that one. Your actual favourite restaurant."

Anya seemed more nervous than usual and Raven frowned, wondering what was going on with her.

"Anya, what's wrong?"

Anya's hands were shaking and she glanced around.

"Oh hell, I was going to wait until tonight but I'm too nervous."

Anya pulled out a small box with a ring in it and got down on one knee. Raven froze, completely not expecting it. 

"While you were away I did a lot of thinking and I missed you so much and Lexa told the kids the story of how they met and how she knew right away and with you it was the same. I knew right away, I just didn't want to admit it because it seemed to soon and..."

Anya gazed up at her, breaking off from her rambling to take a breath. 

"Oh hell," Raven sighed, "you're really gonna ask me."

"Will you marry me?"

"Jesus, you're really asking me? Right here in the airport."

Raven looked more panic stricken than Anya had ever seen her before. 

"Rae...?" she said, trying to get her to focus. 

Raven snapped back to the ring, still not quite taking in what was happening. 

"I mean I just never thought... deep down a part of me always thought you'd ditch me because you'd get tired of the working class girlfriend and want someone more your own speed."

"You _are_ my speed," Anya said. "I don't care about the class differences. I've been around rich people my whole life and quite frankly they're boring compared to you."

Raven was looking up the sky now as if completely at a loss. 

"Raven, will you marry me?" Anya repeated. "This is the part where you answer yes or no."

"No, yes. Fuck I mean yes. I'm doing this all wrong. Yes, yes I'll marry you."

"Yes?" Anya repeated, barely able to breath. 

"Yes," Raven answered. 

Their eyes met and they both smiled at each other warmly. Anya rushed to embrace her and Raven shoved out her hand. 

"Put it on, put it on," Raven said excitedly. 

Anya slid it on Raven's ring finger, holding onto her fingers once it was neatly in place. 

"I can't believe this. Clarke never said a word about you proposing. Wait, you didn't say anything did you. Of course no, you are always so private about everything."

Anya wrapped her arms around Raven's waist and Raven's arms came around her shoulders. 

"You know me too well."

Anya leaned in and caught her up in a passionate kiss, not caring if the whole world saw her in that moment, for it was the happiest she had ever been. 


	37. Gontaim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Lexa get interrupted by Raven and Anya's return from the airport and Luna goes to work at Anya's company with Abby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigedasleng Translation   
Gontaim ai hodness - Later my love

Clarke rained kisses down Lexa's sculpted legs. They were getting a moment's reprieve. The kids were happily in front of the television down the stairs while Lexa took a shower. Clarke had slipped in for a few moments to admire the naked form of her wife and spend some alone time with her. 

She looked up at Lexa with a smirk, her blue eyes flashing with desire but then they heard a commotion downstairs as Anya got back from the airport with Raven and Lexa sighed.

"They can wait," Clarke muttered, dragging her lips along Lexa's wet skin, one hand cupping the back of her thigh. 

"Griffin get your ass down here!"

Clarke swore to herself and got to her feet.

"I better get down there. She'll keep yelling until I do."

Hunger still flashed in Lexa's eyes but she nodded and reached for the towel. 

  
When Clarke arrived downstairs, the first thing her eye was drawn to was the ring on Raven's finger. It was hard to miss when she was holding it out to show Madi and Aden as Anya stood next to them, beaming with absolute delight. 

"Seriously?!" Clarke exclaimed with a grin, forgetting her frustration in the excitment. "Lexa! Come and see this."

Clarke yelled but when she turned her head, Lexa was already standing there, fully dressed. 

"They're engaged!"

Lexa glanced at Clarke and then back at Raven, her eyes wide and then she smiled and rushed forward to hug Raven. 

Clarke caught Anya's eyes and smiled. 

"Congratulations," Clarke said. 

"Thank you," Anya said, clearly still at little hyped up from the events of the evening. 

"What were you doing up there so long anyway?" Raven teased Clarke as they hugged next. 

Aden who was busy staring at the television screen with his game controller just turned his head slightly, not looking away from the screen. 

"Lexa was getting a shower and Clarke went to talk to her about something."

Raven met Clarke's eyes with a knowing grin. 

"Is that what you're calling it Griff?"

"Shut up Reyes," Clarke muttered. "We didn't get the chance."

"To do what?" Madi asked. 

Raven lifted her eyebrows as if to encourage Clarke to tell her exactly what they were talking about.

"Nothing," Clarke said, shooting Raven a warning look. "Never mind. Who's ready for dinner? Raven, Anya, are you eating with us?"

Anya looked a little awkward now. 

"Er, we had plans. The proposal wasn't actually supposed to be at the airport."

Raven laughed and reached for Anya's shirt. 

"Never mind that Woods. I've got other plans for you."

Anya swallowed as Raven lunged in and gave her a passionate kiss before guiding towards the stairs. Anya glanced at Lexa who just looked deeply amused as Raven led Anya towards the room they shared. 

Clarke huffed and Lexa glanced at her. 

"Good for some people," she muttered under her breath. 

Lexa smiled, well aware that Clarke had been looking forward to getting some sexual release and giving some to Lexa in return. She made a mental note to make sure when they were alone to take care of Clarke's needs. Lexa placed a hand on Clarke's waist from behind to reassure her. 

"_Gontaim ai hodness_," she whispered. 

Clarke felt Lexa's gentle breath on her skin just below her ear as Lexa's hand slipped around to her stomach. Clarke pressed her hand over Lexa's. 

"I'm just worried about tomorrow," Clarke said. "What if they suspect something?"

"They won't," Lexa muttered. "As far as Polaris are concerned we are just enquiring about their business as potential investors on behalf of Anya. Trust me."

"I always do," Clarke said softly. "But if something happens to us, what about them?" 

Clarke glanced at Aden and Madi who were still playing games. 

"They will always be taken care of. Anya will see to that. No matter what."

Lexa placed a kiss on the side of Clarke's neck and felt the blonde clasp her hand tighter as if she wanted to wrap Lexa as firmly around her as she could. 

Luna hadn't been sure about taking up the job offer. She knew that Anya was still annoyed at her for how she'd reacted to Raven when she first met her and yet Anya had told her that she would find a place for her in the Woods research department. Clarke's mom, who she was told was frequently away travelling with her husband was working there too and needed a lab assistant in the early evenings. Anya had said that the job was hers if she wanted it. 

The older woman entered the room in a very matter of a fact manner, already wearing a labcoat. Luna didn't know what to expect as Abby eyed her. Who knows what her daughter had told her. 

"Anya says you have more knowledge about nightblood than anyone alive. I hope that's true. It's just going to be you and me working on this."

"I understand," Luna said. "It has excellent medical properties."

Abby lifted her head in a manner that was very similar to Clarke's though they did not look much alike.

"I think Anya's more concerned about the wellbeing on her cousin, who has it running through her veins. Also she said you're her twin?"

Luna nodded and Abby frowned. 

"Well putting aside how hightly unethical your parents were in experimenting with their own dna on their own children, welcome to the project. How is my daughter in law? I haven't seen them since they got back from Brazil."

"Very well," Luna said. "They are very happy together, both her and Clarke and they seem to have adapted well to the children."

Abby who had been looking over some notes stopped suddenly and stared at her.

"Children? What children?"

"Madi and Aden?"

Abby pursed her lips together and one eyebrow lifted and then fell again as she stepped forward.

"They have children?"

"Well Madi was created from our dna as part of the project many years after we were born and Aden is a foster child who they have taken in for the timebeing."

Abby took her cellphone out of her pocket. 

"Could you excuse me for a moment?"

Clarke was sat in the lounge with the whole family, having just finished their dinner, watching Lexa playfight with Aden and Madi, teaching them how to wrestle with someone stronger than them. She loved watching Lexa with them. She was so playful but never too rough and they both seemed to adore her. 

Her phone rang and she saw her that it was her mom and picked it up, still grinning at the sight of the three of them. 

"Hey mom, what's up?"

"Why didn't you tell me I had grandchildren?"

Clarke knew that if those were her mom's first words to her she was in big trouble. 

"No. It's not like that. It's Lexa's sister and he would be sent back into the system..." 

Lexa glanced at Clarke as she walked away into the kitchen with her phone. 

"No mom..."

"But I mean..."

"Fine. See you tomorrow."

Clarke exhaled as she moved the phone away from her ear and met Lexa's eyes. 

"My mom and dad are coming over for dinner tomorrow evening with us all. She's insisting that she wants to meet Madi and Aden."

"Is she mad you didn't tell her?"

"Aha," Clarke said. 

Lexa slipped out of the hold Madi was trying to do on her and rushed over to wrap her arms around Clarke and kiss her on the cheek. 

"It will be okay Clarke. She probably just wishes to meet them. It will be fun."

"Easy for you to say," Clarke joked, "it's not you she's going give a hard time."

"It will be fine."

Lexa kissed her again on the cheek and Clarke sighed. 


	38. The Woods-Griffin Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abby and Jake visit their newest family members as the Woods-Griffin family have dinner. Anya and Raven are still caught up in their excitement over their engagement and Luna makes a discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that no main characters will die in this story and that includes Luna, just so you can read this story without worrying about it.

"This is nice. We should have done this earlier."

Clarke shot Lexa a look as her mom happily tucked into her meal. They were having dinner as a family, her mom and dad and Lexa and the kids. Anya and Raven were busy out celebrating their engagement having spent half the day in their shared room first. Clarke's mom had been oddly pleasant and she kept waiting for the lecture to come. 

"So Madi, what school do you go to?"

"I don't," Madi said, shovelling a forkful of mashed potatoes into her mouth. 

"Why not?" Abby asked. "Clarke why are they not in school?"

"We are going to send them as soon as all this with Cage is dealt with. I explained this to you on the phone earlier."

It had been a lengthy conversation, one with her mom making absolutely clear how unhappy she was that Clarke had not told her about her new 'grandchildren'. The fact that they weren't even her and Lexa's children at all didn't seen to phaze her at all. It seemed her mom was jumping on any opportunity she got to play the grandparent. 

"Give them a break honey, they've barely got back from Brazil and a lot has happened."

Clarke smiled at her dad gratefully and he smiled back. At least he was always on her side. They both knew that her mom wasn't going to let it go too soon.

"So Grandpa," Clarke teased. "How's the paper coming along on the tribe?"

"Very well," he said, "but slow. I wrote more notes than I thought and I can't remember half of what some of them mean."

Clarke chuckled. 

"You'll work it out. You always do."

"What work do you do?" Aden asked politely.

"I'm an anthropologist. I study human behaviour and societies."

Aden furrowed his brow and then just nodded and returned to his meal. 

"Lexa's been teaching me how to fight like a jaguar," Madi exclaimed. 

Jake chuckled in a manner similar to his daughter. 

"I bet she has. Does that mean you can beat me up now?"

"Probably, grandpa," Madi said with a grin, echoing Clarke's earlier humour in her reply. 

Jake grinned at her.

"I'll remember not to get on your bad side then kiddo."

"Lexa," Abby said suddenly. "How have you been since you got back? I know you miss being away from the jungle."

Lexa glanced at Clarke taking her hand and squeezing it. She smiled and then turned back to Abby. 

"Clarke is my home. I am content to be wherever she is and she missed being in Arkadia. When this is all over we plan to buy a larger home in Arkadia for all of us so."

Abby blinked and a slight smile came to her lips at Lexa's earnestness. 

"That sounds great."

Jake grinned at his daughter. 

"Never let her go," he muttered. "This one is a keeper."

"Oh I don't intend to," Clarke replied, reaching a hand to rub Lexa's back gently. 

"You'll need one large enough for Aden too if you plan to adopt him."

Aden's fork stopped and his eyes widened and Clarke closed her eyes for a second. 

"Mom, we hadn't..."

"Oh," Abby said, realising her error. "I'm sorry. Luna talked as if it was certain."

"Are you really going to adopt me?" Aden asked Lexa, turning to face her. 

"We were going to talk to you about this first," Clarke said softly. "We wanted to ask you what you wanted?"

Aden's eyes were still wide. 

"You want to adopt me?" he repeated. 

"If that is what you wish and if the auhorities allow it," Lexa said. "We have looked into the matter and it seems it would be possible."

A smiled spread across Aden's lips and he threw himself at Lexa and hugged her and then did the same to Clarke. 

"Please, please adopt me," he said, when he pulled away. "I've never had a family. I would be so happy to be in yours."

"Hey!" Madi exclaimed. "Why aren't you adopting me?"

"We plan to," Clarke said, "we were going to ask you about it too."

"Yes!" Madi said, pumping her fist. "We're brother and sister now Aden. That means when we go to school if someone picks on you I'm gonna kick their ass for you."

Aden was still smiling more broadly than they had ever seen him. Lexa reached over and ruffled his hair and he didn't even dart away like he usually would. 

"Well all I can say is it's a good thing you never chose Finn to be our son in law," Abby said. "Lexa is far better."

"I hated that guy," Jake said suddenly. 

"Me too," Lexa said, meeting his eyes. 

"Me too," Clarke chimed in. 

"Me too," Abby added. "Eventually anyway."

They all burst out laughing, the Woods-Griffin family enjoy their dinner together. 

  
Anya panted as Raven climbed off of her. They were in the front seat of her car, having spent the evening at her favourite restaurant and then gotten carried away with each other in the car. Asking Raven to marry her seemed to have ignited her fiancee's sex drive more than ever. 

"My God that was good. I hope no one saw us."

Raven pressed a kiss to her cheek, grinning. 

"Nah it's too dark and we're out of the way here. We're fine."

"You are the best," Anya panted, still catching her breath. 

"I know. Wait your phone has been ringing. You left it on silent."

Anya who had been leaning back against the headrest with her eyes closed, opened her eyes and reached for her phone immediately. 

"It's just Luna saying that she's staying late again."

"Even without Abby?"

"Yeah," Anya said. "She's really been working overtime on the nightblood. Says she'd onto something. She works too hard."

Raven smirked. Anya had clearly warmed up to Luna, much as she often pretended she hadn't.

"You're definitely related then! Must be a family trait, overachieving."

"Woods do like to overachieve," Anya smirked. "At everything," she emphasised. 

"Don't I know it."

Anya grinned at her. 

"You will in a minute. Your turn Reyes."

She pulled Raven into a heated kiss, drawing her closer. 

Luna stared at the results over and over again. Clarke and Lexa had gone undercover that day in Polaris, pretending to be interested in investing. They had been given only brief, advertising brochures and a personal tour that probably only focussed on what they wanted it to. 

She'd made the connection only after seeing the brochure. What did a tech company have in common with nightblood designed to prevent diseases?

_Its resilence. _

_And why would that matter?_

Biotech. Polaris specialised in developing A.I interfaces and bioengineering. Wallace wanted to make people who could be implanted with Artificial Intelligence. Soldiers capable of being maipulated, humans with the mathematical capabilities of computers. Humans devoid of self control. It was a nightmare in the making. 

She started to call Anya but then hung up thinking again about the results. Should she reveal this to anyone. Should she use the phone to talk about it when Polaris could be spying. Suddenly she had no idea how far reaching this could be. 

She bundled up the results of her tests on the effects of tungsten, silicon and several other important chemicals on nightblood. Luna locked them away in the safe Anya'd had installed and sealed it immediately. She cleared away all evidence of the tests, determined to speak to Lexa and Clarke first. 

She exited the building twenty minutes later and into the building car park. When she put her key in the engine and turned it nothing happened. Luna moved to grab her phone but someone grabbed her from the backseat and covered her mouth with a cloth, soaked in chemicals. 

Her last thought was that Lexa would find her. She knew Lexa would. Somehow she just knew it. Her twin would find her. 


	39. The Unexpected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luna finds herself face to face with some unexpected kidnappers and Lexa and Clarke help Aden and Madi to bed after the fall asleep downstairs. Also Clarke and Lexa get some alone time afterwards.
> 
> Warning - Smut

Luna awoke tied to a chair in a rundown apartment. She blinked, her head throbbing and opened her eyes slowly. In front of her was a an angry looking bald man with piercing blue eyes and folded arms. Luna tried to move, her hair falling in loose waves around her. 

"Boss, she's awake."

A lean muscled man with shaggy dark hair and narrow eyes entered the room. Luna glanced at her surroundings. It had barely any furniture in but a run down sofa and a table. It was clearly just somewhere to hideout for a while. 

"Sorry for the mess," Roan Queen told her. "Good safehouses are hard to come by these days."

"What do you want with me?" Luna asked, still feeling sick from whatever he'd used on her. She had a few guesses what it must have been.

"Quint, go guard the door."

The one names Quint glared at Luna and Roan repeated the order for him to leave the room. He scowled but did as ordered and Roan hovered over her. 

"I'm..."

"I know who you are," Luna snapped, trying to ignore the pain. "What do you want?"

"I want to know why Cage is after you and your family. What makes you so special?"

Luna looked up into his brown eyes and realised that he really didn't know. Wallace must have kept him in the dark. She decided to play dumb herself. 

"Cage Wallace? You're working for him. I thought you were a Queen."

Roan shook his head, his eyes darting away as if annoyed by the statement.

"Don't play dumb. My mother worked for him until he set her up. Much as that benefitted me, I don't like working for someone without any loyalty, not without knowing why."

"I have no idea why he's targeted our family. Maybe he wants our family business. Your mother certainly did."

Roan scoffed. 

"My mother was an idiot. You were no threat to her. She just got greedy. She never liked sharing power, that's why she made sure my shares were always under her control and when I challenged that, I got relegated to her more illegal activities. Look I know Wallace is after more than just control of your company. Until you tell me you're staying right here."

Luna eyed him. He meant his threat and yet she didn't sense any real malice from him, just disillusionment. 

"Niylah!" he yelled in a sour tone. "Get in here."

A blonde woman in her late twenties saunted into the room, appearing even less impressed with the situation than Roan. 

"What is it now?" she asked, as if he'd disturbed her. 

"You're on guard duty. Watch her, keep her alive but don't let her escape."

"So I'm a glorified babysitter now?" the woman said in a low, dry tone. 

"Well you can always go back to working for Ontari. Oh wait..."

Niylah scowled at him and moved over to sit on the old sofa with folded arms. 

"Good. Now don't move until I get back. Both of you."

Niylah let out a long sigh and started playing with her cellphone. Roan left and closed the door and then they were alone. 

"Don't try anything," Niylah warned. "Neither of us want to be here so keep your mouth shut and you might just live."

Luna glanced at the woman, scanning her from head to toe. She was dressed in black leather clothing like a biker and had tattooes over her bare arms. She seemed fairly intelligent and had an empathetic face yet seemed secretive and closed off. 

"What's he going to do to me?" Luna asked quietly. 

The woman, Niylah to her credit turned her head and there was a hint of softness in her eyes before they steeled over. 

"Nothing if you tell him what he wants."

"And if I don't?" Luna asked. 

Niylah turned back to her phone. 

"That's up to Roan. You'd be best just to give him what he wants and not complain about it."

Luna closed her eyes and swallowed a lump in her throat. She could not and would not give up Lexa and Madi, no matter what they did. She had once thought only of running, of escaping and saving herself but something had changed. She'd never truly had a family and now she did, she understood why Lexa and Clarke wanted to fight to defend it. 

When she opened her eyes Niylah was watching her curiously. 

"Listen. Roan will use your phone to tell your family you are staying late at work to buy some time. Tomorrow he will probably text them pretending to be you and say that you fell asleep there. He's good at this stuff. They won't suspect you're missing, not for a few days anyway, so whoever it is you are expecting to rescue you, think of yourself now. They can't help you."

Luna turned her head away in defiance and Niylah frowned and then returned to looking at her cellphone. 

"Suit yourself. I have nowhere else to be apparently so it's gonna be a long night until Quint takes over."

Luna shot a look back at her. 

"Quint, the angry one?"

Niylah must've noticed the fear in her voice. 

"Yeah he's like that. Hey do you want some water? You are probably still feeling unwell. I tried to tell Roan that it would be unwise to use chloroform but he has no interest in science."

Luna quirked an eyebrow. 

"Do you?"

Niylah produced a smile suddenly, her lips curving wide. 

"What do you think I find so interesting on my phone? I am reading about new advances in treating malaria. You'd probably find it boring."

"I'm a scientist," Luna said, putting a hand to her forehead. 

"No, really? Why would Roan be after a scientist. He said you were a Woods?"

"The Woods, my parents were scientists," Luna replied. "Didn't you ask?"

Niylah shrugged.

"Not my job. I'm just paid to sit here. Ontari only hired me to keep her company half the time and Roan needs me even less."

"Which university did you study at?" Luna asked naively. 

Niylah gave her a look as if it was the craziest thing she'd ever be asked. 

"What is your first name?" Niylah asked patiently.

"Luna," she replied, her heart thudding as their eyes locked, though she wasn't sure why it suddenly beat faster now.

"Well you have a lot to learn Luna and the first lesson is that people like me do not get to go to university. If they did, I would certainly not be sat here guarding you."

Luna's brow furrowed. The woman was intriguing. She seemed very streetwise as if nothing could truly surprise her and yet there was a softness about her, some sense of compassion.

"So if you're a Woods, you know the attractive jungle woman and her very pretty wife?" Niylah asked, with a slight twinkle in her eye. 

"Yes," Luna said. "What of it?"

Niylah's eyes flickered over her hungrily and Luna suddenly felt as if the room was heating up.

"Just curious," Niylah replied. "I'll get you that drink."

Luna watched as her intriguing jailer left the room and returned with a glass of water. She held it up to Luna's mouth and Luna was incredibly grateful as soon as the cool liquid hit her lips. She gulped until she'd had enough and Niylah drew the glass away, placing it on the table. 

"Thank you," Luna gasped. 

Niylah smiled again and seated herself back down on the sofa. 

"Glad to help."

Clarke was laughing so much she was doubled over. Lexa was tickling her, refusing to let her move as she tried to get up from their sofa to tell the kids to go to bed. They'd both fallen asleep in the living room, watching a film on the floor, both side by side propped up on cushions to see the television screen. 

"I need to get them to bed," Clarke protested, still laughing. "Lex!"

She moved to get up and Lexa tickled her stomach again and drew her back knowing exactly where she was the most sensitive. 

Clarke fell back on Lexa's lap and Lexa hugged her, resting her head on Clarke's shoulder. 

"Dinner was very nice," Lexa said. 

"It really was. Even mom behaved - mostly."

Lexa lifted her head and smiled up at her wife, who was gazing towards the children thoughtfully. 

"Aden and Madi were very pleased. I have never seen him smile so much."

"Shame Luna, Anya and Raven weren't here," Clarke said. "I hope she's gonna be okay about Madi. We've not really spoken to her."

Lexa gazed at Clarke thinking how lucky she was to have her. 

"We spoke about it, Luna and I. She understands that Madi needs a settled life. Luna has no wish to be a parent, not really. She was never given a choice. She loves Madi but she wants her own life too."

Clarke glanced back at her and smiled. 

"You two have been getting along better."

"She just needed time," Lexa whispered. "We've found an understanding."

"I'm glad. I know I was mad at her but it was just because I wanted this for you. I know how much it means to you, family."

Lexa brushed Clarke's hair back from her face and Clarke turned and met her eyes. She fell as she always had into forest green eyes, falling into their warmth, into their security. 

"It does," Lexa said, not looking away from her. 

"And on that note, let's get these two into their beds."

Clarke got up to move and Lexa pulled her back and tickled her one more time and burst out laughing as Clarke doubled over half protesting, half laughing.

Lexa finally let her move still smiling in amusement and watched as Clarke headed over to gently shake them both awake. 

"Come on guys. Time for bed. You can't sleep on the floor all night."

Lexa hovered nearby watching her with absolute love in her heart. Madi got to her feet and let Clarke guide her half asleep, with a hand on her shoulder. Aden didn't wake as easily so Lexa reached down and picked him up and carried him across her back up the stairs. She placed him in his bed and pulled the covers over him and placed a kiss on his forehead. 

"_Reshop ai yongon_," she whispered. 

She walked out and closed the door and saw Clarke and Madi talking, Madi lying in her bed, rubbing her eyes. Lexa listened for a moment. They were talking about Madi being adopted. 

"Of course Luna will still be your sister," Clarke said reassuringly, as she sat on the bed. "She'll always be your sister and Lexa will too. It just means that you'll live with us and we'll be legally taking responsibility for making sure you are okay."

"So Luna won't be mad or hurt? I don't want to hurt her."

Clarke sighed. 

"No she won't. We wouldn't want to hurt Luna either. She's still a part of this family. She always will be."

Madi wrapped her arms around Clarke and hugged her and Clarke kissed her forehead. 

"Now go to sleep," Clarke said with a smile. "Or I'll get Grandma Griffin to ring you and give you a lecture about what happens to the brain when you don't get enough rest."

Madi grinned at her joke and lay down, letting Clarke tuck her in. Lexa just listened from behind the bedroom door, just able to see them from the hallway. 

"Clarke?" Madi said as Clarke got up to walk away.

"Yeah?" 

"I love you," Madi said softly. 

Lexa saw Clarke's eyes glaze over in the darkness as she wrestled with the overwhelming emotions she felt. 

"I love you too kiddo," Clarke said, turning back to smile at her. "Now go to sleep."

Lexa drew back as the door opened and Clarke walked out. Their eyes met and Lexa could see that Clarke knew that she had heard and that she understood how attached Clarke had become to Madi, as much as if Madi was her own child. 

Lexa reached out a hand to Clarke's chin, grazing her fingertips over her skin and they rushed into each others arms, Clarke seeking refuge there. Lexa understood what Clarke was thinking all too well for she could read her wife better than she could anyone. Clarke was thinking that she never expected Madi and Aden and to become a sort of parent to Lexa's little sister and a foster kid she barely knew. Clarke was worrying that she had no right to love Madi and feel as responsible as if Madi was her own child, when Luna had all but raised her and she was not even her blood.

And Clarke was thinking that it was too late for in her head Madi and Aden were their children and she did feel responsible and always would and how close to crying she was that she had spoken to Madi as her own father had often spoken to her when he'd tucked her in at night.

And so Lexa held her while Clarke worked through her confusion at the changes in their world. 

"Let's go to bed," Lexa said. "You're as tired as the children are."

Clarke lifted her head and gave her a watery smile. 

"Not _that_ tired," she said in a sultry voice.

Lexa caught her meaning and her smile widened as she surged forward to kiss Clarke, taking her hands to draw her backwards and towards their own bedroom. They both became hungry and scrambled into the room, Clarke falling down on top of Lexa on their bed, undressing as quickly as they could and slipping under the covers. 

Lexa rolled Clarke onto her back and took Clarke's hand which had escaped to roam over Lexa's body. She entwined their fingers and Clarke pulled their joined hands lower as Lexa covered Clarke's body with own and kissed her sensually, as if they had all the time in the world to explore each other. They sighed into each other and Lexa manoevured it so they were entwined, drawing Clarke's leg around her own before dragging her mouth down to Clarke's pulsepoint and losing herself in the quiet gasps that emanated from Clarke's lips as Lexa's own lips caressed her soft skin. 

Clarke's hand wrapped around the back of Lexa's neck to hold her there and Lexa knew that Clarke was enjoying what she was doing. Lexa had learned fairly early in their relationship that nothing stirred arousal in Clarke more than when Lexa kissed that particular spot on the side of her neck. Clarke always gasped at the sensation and Lexa had listened to each gasp, learning every inch of her body that shuddered to her touch. They moved against each other, Lexa's arousal just as great as Clarke's head turned aside and tilted back instinctively to give her full access to the desired place. Lexa dragged her teeth gently along the spot, not breaking the skin but nipping ever so slightly and Clarke inhaled sharply as Lexa gave a low growl of satisfaction. 

It was pure instinct for Lexa to do this. For animals, nothing showed absolute trust like allowing teeth near a neck or the exposure of a soft belly. All predators knew this. That's why they rolled on their backs when they missed to mate, to show their willingness, to show their trust. Lexa had trusted Clarke like this the first time they'd had sex. Clarke did not have a body that those on television seemed to think desirable but Lexa had never understood that. Clarke was beautiful beyond measure to her. She had never wished for her belly to be flatter or her body smaller. She was simply beautiful the way she was and frankly to Lexa, most women were beautiful the way they were already. 

Lexa purred as they moved together, their bodies joined as they writhed for their climax. Her purrs grew louder as she whined as her climax hit her in intense pulses, the moment when they hit stopping her whole body still and then pushing her forward again and into another building throb of pleasure. 

Clarke began to gasp and shudder beneath her and Lexa shifted to make sure, Clarke was experiencing as much pleasure as she was. It worked as she rubbed back and forward over Clarke's entrance in deliberate motions and held Clarke as she unravelled beneath her. Lexa clenched her eyes shut and her lips fell open as she cried out softly at the sweet release of her body as Clarke's own vibrated against hers in hot pulses of pleasure. 

Lexa sensed that Clarke needed more and buried her head in the side of her neck, nuzzling her head aside with her nose and opened her lips to nip again at the sweet spot where Clarke loved to feel her mouth. She pushed herself against Clarke drawing their clitoris' together and drew out more gasps of pleasure from her wife until Clarke could take no more and cried out, her head craning back. 

They were both panting when they stopped, Lexa still holding Clarke, shifting her leg out from between Clarke's so they could be more comfortable now. Both of them had their eyes closed and Lexa rolled off, Clarke following her instinctively so that she was cuddling into Lexa's side as she lay on her back. Clarke shifted her arm across Lexa's waist and rested her head on Lexa's chest and shoulder placing a satisfied kiss on the side of Lexa's neck before nuzzling into her. 

Much as Lexa enjoyed the sex so very much with Clarke, this was her favourite part. Afterwards, when they were both tired and Clarke was cuddling her and falling asleep on her. Lexa's arms naturally came around Clarke to hold her, to keep her safe from anyone who would dare to hurt her and she heard Clarke sigh deeply. 

_Yes_ Lexa thought This was definitely her favourite part of the day. Just her and Clarke satisfied and together. 

_My love. My wife_ she thought sleepily. _There's nothing I wouldn't do for you. For my family._

Lexa fell asleep with the words still in her mind, completely unaware of the situation her twin found herself in, with a gentle smile on her face and her wife sleeping peacefully with her. 


	40. Instincts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luna is still held hostage by Roan but finds an unexpected ally. Lexa and Clarke are too busy enjoying their married life while Anya and Raven find out that Luna never showed up to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there's been more focus on Luna and Niylah but it's just while the plot develops. Thanks for keeping up with this so far. I honestly never expected this story to go on for this long.

Luna was bored beyond belief. She'd been held hostage for almost twenty four hours. The bindings they used to tied her to the chair rubbed against her wrists. Her arms ached from being pulled behind her. 

"Can't you untie me? It's not like I could even fight you if I tried."

Niylah's eyes flickered up to the long mass of curly hair that covered Luna's face as she leaned forward, trying to loosen the binding. 

"You know I can't. What's wrong? Your wrists?"

"This chair is so uncomfortable. Can't you tie me to a bed or something so I can at least sleep."

Niylah smirked at her words and Luna shook her head and blushed. 

"Not like that," Luna muttered in annoyance. "You know what I mean."

Niylah got to her feet and moved to loosen Luna's bindings enough to give her wrists a little relief. As she leaned over to the back of the chair, Luna watched her with bated breath, as she was but inches from Niylah's body. 

"How is that?" Niylah asked with a friendly smile. 

They were gazing into each others eyes now and Luna swallowed thickly as she felt a flush of desire rush through her at their proximity. 

"Better. Thank you."

Niylah leaned in as if to kiss her but stopped a few inches from her lips. 

"What is it with you Woods that you are all so ridiculously attractive? Don't worry I wouldn't take advantage of you while you were like this."

Niylah pulled back and Luna followed her with her gaze. 

"At least not unless you wanted me to," Niylah added seductively. 

Luna didn't reply but her gaze never left the woman as she seated herself back down on the sofa. Niylah had a knack for making clear her desire with very few words. There was a secretiveness about her, as if she was used to keeping herself as invisible as possible to survive. 

The door opened and Quint entered, glaring as always. 

"Cover the front of the building," he snapped at Niylah. "I need a change."

Niylah looked at him increduously. 

"It's not my job. Roan ordered me to guard our guest."

He scoffed and walked towards Luna who eyed him warily. 

"Do as I say woman," he ordered. 

Niylah got to her feet and met his eyes but he rested a hand on the knife at his belt as if to threaten her. She glanced at Luna with disappointment and headed out of the room with her head lowered. 

Luna could see that Quint scared Niylah. He scared her just as much. He seemed to want nothing more than to antagonise her. 

He walked around the chair, circling like a predator. 

"Your bindings are loose," he observed, leaning down to tighten them. 

Luna cried out in pain and he grinned when he faced her again. 

"Can't have you escaping can we?"

He leaned in and took a handful of her hair and Luna could barely breath with fear. Suddenly there was a thud and Quint fell to the floor, blood pouring from his forehead. Niylah was standing behind him with a large hardback encyclopedia in both hands. 

She dropped it and rushed to untie Luna. 

"Quick. He will wake soon. We must go."

It all happened so fast, Luna didn't have time to argue her mind still racing as she realised that Quint could have had anything in mind to do to her. Niylah took her hand and led her through the house, avoiding some of Roan's other men. 

"The front door," Niylah whispered as they leaned back against the wall of a hallway. "Quint left it unguarded."

Luna just let her guide her as Niylah slipped her out of the front door and around the building. She stopped at a motorcyle and handed Luna a helmet. Luna just looked at it as Niylah sat on the bike. 

"What? This is all I have. We need to get out of here before Roan returns. I know a place to lie low."

Luna sighed and put the helmet on and seated herself behind Niylah, wrapping her arms around her waist under her leather jacket. Niylah drove off, the engine of her bike roaring as Luna just clung to her, somewhere between excited and terrified. 

  
"Something is wrong," Lexa said. "I can feel it."

Lexa lay on her back in her bed, very naked and with an equally naked Clarke draped across her. 

"Really? Everything feels just right to me."

Clarke smirked as she lifted her head to gaze at Lexa. Lexa smiled back but still frowned. 

"I don't know what it is but my spirit is restless."

Clarke smiled and traced her fingertips over the outline of Lexa's lips. 

"Shame, because I need your spirit to stay right where it is."

Lexa turned her head and grinned. 

"Clarke..."

Her wife leaned in and pressed her lips to Lexa's in a deep, lingering kiss as she swallowed Lexa's words. Lexa reached for her, losing herself in her embrace. She pulled Clarke's leg up around her waist and rolled them so that they were both on their sides. She gripped Clarke's thigh hungrily as their tongues met and they gave in to their neverending craving for each other. 

Lexa was so lost in Clarke that she didn't notice her phone ringing as Anya tried to call her.

  
"Damn it," Anya muttered as Raven hung up the phone for her as she drove. "They must be asleep. It's what 3am?"

Raven who was more than exhausted herself after her and Anya'd had another long celebratory evening out, yawned and looked out of the window. 

"Yeah. 3:15. They'll be in bed. Are you sure Abby wasn't mistaken?"

It was pure accident that Anya had bumped into Abby. They'd stopped at the gas station and Abby had been picking up a few things on her way home from the lab. She'd been helping out a former colleague with a complex medical issue at Polis Hospital the day before and as far as Anya knew Luna was supposed to be staying at the lab. And yet Abby said she hadn't seen Luna all day and that the lab had been empty. 

"Something's happened to her," Anya said, gripping the steering wheel so tight that her knuckles were turning white.

"We don't know that," Raven said. "She was always a flight risk."

Anya shook her head. 

"No, I can feel it. Something's up. Keep trying Lexa and Clarke. I'm taking us to the lab to see if there's any clues of what happened. There's a hidden camera in the parking lot. It might have caught something."

Raven touched Anya's knee. She could see that Anya was genuinely worried. 

"I'll keep trying. Don't worry. I'm sure she's just holed up doing science somewhere."


	41. Rescue Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa, Anya and Raven rush to find Luna while Clarke looks after Madi and Aden.

Luna rolled off Niylah, not knowing exactly what had just happened. Niylah had driven her to a place a friend named Echo owned above a bar. Echo hadn't asked many questions, had just nodded and told them to get upstairs and that she would cover for them if anyone came by looking for them. 

Luna had still been high on adrenaline. She'd never been kidnapped before. She'd never ridden a motorbike and she'd never reached for a women with a growl and kissed her as if she was just thrilled to be alive and wanted to make every moment count. 

It wasn't like her. She had always struggled socialising. Dating hadn't even been on her radar. She'd had too much other things to distract her. 

Niylah had seemed more than responsive. Luna had pulled her onto the bed and Niylah had slipped her leather jacket off and pulled her drawn her top over her head as Luna had just gasped in surprise. She wasn't wearing a bra and had leaned down to sweep Luna up into a kiss. For the first time in her life, Luna hadn't been overthinking or questioning everything. She'd just gone with her desires and Niylah had stripped their clothes and proceeded to ravish her as if it had been her desire from the first moment she'd seen her. She struck Luna as oportunistic, someone who had few chances at happiness and took what moments she could. So very different from herself, who was too cautious and fearful of seizing the moment. 

And yet after Niylah had slipped inside her and pleasured her until she could take no more, Luna had rolled her over and gone down on her without even a thought. Niylah had gasped her name as Luna had become all animal and no thought and had drove her to the edge with no care that she barely knew this woman.

Luna lay back, resting her head on her hands and exhaled, as Niylah fell asleep. A confident smile spread across her lips. She did not love Niylah. She barely knew her but she had a feeling that they were going to keep doing this. For the first time in a long time Luna actually felt unafraid. She'd been running away from everything. From danger. From people. From committments. For the first time in forever she didn't want to run anymore. 

  
When Lexa ended the phone call with Anya the next morning in the kitchen, Clarke could already tell that she was upset. Lexa was gripping the device like she wanted to break it and Clarke immediately touched her forearm to ease her tension. 

"Luna is missing," Lexa said, turning to Clarke. "She didn't show up at the lab."

Clarke glanced towards Madi and Aden who were both eating cereal at their breakfast table. She kept her voice low and stepped in closer.

"Do you think she ran away? She spoke of it before."

Lexa shook her head and exhaled. 

"No, someone has taken her. We must find her."

"What should we tell Madi is she asks?"

"Nothing," Lexa advised. "We will find her."

Clarke had her doubts but she knew Lexa's instincts were never wrong. 

"Okay. What's the plan?"

"I will meet with Anya. Can you stay with them?"

Lexa glanced at the children with concern and Clarke gave her a weak smile. 

"Of course. Go. Save Luna. Find your sister. I'll watch them."

Lexa nodded and hurried to leave. She stopped realising that she had forgotten something and quickly turned back to kiss Clarke on the cheek softly. Clarke blinked, tilting into the sensation and then watched as Lexa disappeared into the back yard and up into the trees. 

"So guys, who's up for doing some painting today?" she asked, sounding as if nothing was wrong. 

Madi and Aden both looked her way and smiled enthusiastically. 

  
Anya paced as Raven sat at the computer in Luna's laboratory, tired but completely focussed on her task. 

Raven had already checked the security footage and caught an unidentifiable man going towards Luna's car and breaking in. He had covered his face but moments later Luna walked over and then that was the last time they were on camera.

"How long will this take?"

"I don't know," Raven moaned. "It may not even work if they switched her phone off."

Anya suddenly heard someone enter the laboratory to find Lexa being escorted in by a security officer.

"You're here!" Anya exclaimed in relief. 

"Yes," Lexa replied gravely. "Have you found anything?"

"Not yet," Raven said, "and we have barely slept so please don't distract me while I focus. Damn it."

"What?" Anya asked, both her and Lexa moving towards Raven. 

"Her phone is off."

Raven seemed more frustrated than usual and desperately in need of sleep. 

"Wait," Raven said suddenly. "Doesn't she wear a smart watch?"

Raven laughed suddenly with triumph as she began to find and hack the device. 

"How do you even know how to do this?" Lexa asked.

"Lexa, you wound me. You should know by now that my genius brain can figure out anything."

Lexa didn't reply too focussed on saving her twin. 

"Aha. Got her. Let's go."

Raven got up from her chair and grabbed her jacket before even explaining where they were going. 

  
About forty minutes later they were outside a bar that Raven recognised. 

"I know this place. Clarke's friends visit her when they are in Polis. It is run by Echo, Bellamy's partner."

Lexa glanced at her. She had met both of them at the wedding. 

"You're sure? Why would she be here?"

Raven shrugged and Lexa growled as she looked towards the bar, not knowing what they would find there. 

"How are we gonna do this?" Anya asked. 

Lexa just stepped in front of them and entered the bar with fearless determination. Raven and Anya just glanced at each other fearing for anyone who got in Lexa's way. 

As they walked in Echo who was behind the bar smiled broadly. 

"Raven, Lexa. I didn't know you were in Polis. How are you?"

Her smile faded when Lexa didn't smile back or reply.

"What's up?"

"My sister is here," Lexa scowled. "Someone kidnapped her and she is here."

Lexa leapt behind the bar and met Echo eye to eye, willing her to challenge her.

"Where is she?"

Echo gulped. Lexa could be intimidating when she wanted to be and Echo had heard the craziest stories about her from Bellamy.

"I didn't even know you had a sister."

Anya put a hand on Lexa's shoulder across the bar. 

"I'm sorry, Echo? We tracked her here. She's called Luna and we're all understably worried about her. If she's here we really need to see her."

Echo rolled her eyes. 

"Fine. I promised Niylah I wouldn't tell anyone but somehow I don't think it was you she meant."

"Niylah?" Lexa asked, tilting her head. 

"They rushed in here yesterday. Needed somewhere to hideout. They're upstairs."

Echo reached under the bar and handed Anya a key. 

Lexa, who had been staring down Echo eased the tension in her shoulders and leapt over the bar as casually as if it she had done it a thousand times. 

"I am sorry for my behaviour Echo. She is my twin and I thought you meant her harm."

Echo nodded in acknowledgement at Lexa's sudden softness. 

  
When they got to the door at the top of the stairs Lexa motioned that she would enter first in case it was dangerous. 

Anya turned the key and backed away and Lexa burst into the door ready to fight, Anya and Raven piling in behind her. 

Luna and Niylah jumped apart, naked under the covers. Lexa's eyes went wide as she realised what she had walked in on. 

"Damn..." Raven said with a grin. "I guess she really is a Woods. Took her like, what a day?"

Luna blushed and avoided their eyes. 

"We thought you were in trouble," Lexa said with an amused smirk. 

"We were," Luna muttered. "Can you all wait outside?"

Lexa nodded awkwardly and backed away out of the room. Anya started leaving too but had to grab Raven and yank her towards the door to get her to move. 

They all walked downstairs, hearing Luna and Niylah muttering to each other as they dressed behind the closed door. 

"Everything okay?" Echo asked, seeing how awkward they seemed when they entered the bar. 

Anya shot a warning look at Raven before she could say anything but Raven was still grinning and Lexa looked as if she was trying her hardest not to laugh. 

Raven just shook her head. 

"What a family," she said with a grin. "It must be genetic."

"What must be?" Echo asked. 

Raven slipped forward, leaning on the bar. 

"I'll text you later," she whispered. "My future wifey is giving me daggers. We really should've knocked."

Echo nodded and smiled, shooting a look at Anya as she cleared away some empty glasses. Luna and Niylah appeared suddenly, fully dressed this time, Niylah in biker clothes. 

"Niylah risked her life," Luna said sheepishly. 

Lexa nodded slowly, closing her eyes. Luna was saying that she didn't want to discuss it until they were home 

"We should hurry if we are leaving," Niylah said. "Roan will be searching for us."

Lexa's ears pricked up at his name. She wanted to ask more but the woman was right. It was better they got Luna to safety. 


	42. Our Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luna and Niylah go back to The Woods Manor. Clarke finds the whole situation amusing and Lexa does not like when Niylah accidentally flirts with Clarke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigedasleng Translation
> 
> Ai hodness - My love

"You're back!" 

Clarke rushed to hug Lexa, thrilled as the group of women entered the home. She had been worried the whole time, though she had tried to keep the children distracted. 

Lexa embraced her but when she pulled apart, Clarke could see that she was desperately trying not to laugh and frowned in puzzlement. 

"What?" she whispered. 

"In the kitchen," Lexa replied quietly. 

Raven rushed over to Aden and Madi who were both painting on a large canvas on the floor. 

"Hey guys! What are we painting? Can I join in?"

"Are we going to talk about this in front of the children?" Niylah asked dryly. 

Anya shook her head while Luna still just looked sheepish. Suddenly they all heard a loud, musical laugh eminating from the kitchen that meant that Lexa had told Clarke everything. 

Luna blushed, reddening all the way to the tips of her ears. Clarke and Lexa headed back over. 

"Look I painted Onca and Baya," Madi exclaimed, tugging Lexa's sleeve. 

"Very impressive," Lexa said, "keep practising and you will be as good as Clarke one day."

Madi grinned and then carried on with her painting, her and Aden seeming very happy with the activity. 

"We're just going to talk in Anya's office for a second," Clarke told them. " Raven here is going to help you."

Raven shot a glare at Clarke who knew full well that she was so not an artist. Clarke just smiled back triumphantly and raised her eyebrows as if to shrug. 

"Ah this is the famous beautiful Clarke Griffin who Luna told me tamed her sister," Niylah said with a smirk. 

Lexa suddenly lifted her chin and glared at Niylah, who seemed to have a naturally flirtatious tone. Clarke seemed oblivious while Anya looked between the two women and was genuinely concerned for Niylah's well being for a moment. Lexa did not like her tone with Clarke at all. It reminded Anya of how Lexa had felt about Finn attempting to flirt with Clarke.

"My office," Anya said quickly. "That way."

Lexa took Clarke's hand and they followed Anya. Luna leaned in and whispered to Niylah warning her not to flirt with Clarke even in jest. 

"I was just being friendly," Niylah whispered. 

"When it comes to Clarke, do not be that kind of friendly. Seriously, you do not want to antagonise her."

Niylah took in Luna's words thoughtfully. She would have to curb those impulses. She was far more interested in Luna anyway but she could not always help flirting with pretty women. 

When they entered the office, Anya sat down in her chair as if making known that she was the head of the family. 

"So, Roan kidnapped you. Some idiot named Quint was tormenting you and Niylah hit him over the head and you both rode off on her bike, holed up above Echo's bar and then got naked together."

Lexa stifled a snort of laughter at Clarke's words and shook her head, burying it in her wife's shoulder. 

"Pretty much," Luna said shyly. "Also Lexa, Niylah is naturally a flirt. Please don't kill her for smiling at Clarke."

Clarke spun her head around and looked at Lexa. 

"Were you doing that threatening stare thing you do? Sorry, Niylah was it? She won't really hurt you."

"Not if you don't smile at my wife like that I won't," Lexa muttered under her breath. 

Clarke nudged Lexa and their eyes met in a sort of staring contest. Lexa nudged Clarke back and they both broke into smiles. Anya scowled at them both. 

"Can we be serious for a second? We have bigger issues."

"Oh come on Anya," Clarke said, "you gotta admit this is pretty funny, not the kidnapping bit but the you all storming in the room and finding them..."

Anya exhaled. 

"Okay, so Niylah and Luna you are staying here until it's safe. No lab, no bar, no disappearing on the back of a bike. I assume you are happy sharing a room but if not we have plenty of spare ones."

"Lexa will show you where to put your stuff," Clarke said.

Lexa raised an eyebrow and pressed her lips together shooting a look at Clarke. Clarke just made a face as if to say 'play nice' and then patted Lexa on the back and kissed her on the cheek before going back into the lounge. 

Lexa sighed. 

"Follow me," she instructed. 

Niylah glanced at Luna as if to ask for help but Lexa was already walking. 

Anya expected Luna to leave her office but instead she closed the door and sat down. 

"There's something else you should know," Luna said. "It's about the nightblood. I know what they're doing..."

Anya lifted her head and glanced up at her with a raised brow.

Lexa walked Niylah to Luna's room, both women silent. 

"I'm not trying to steal your wife," Niylah said, trying to ease the tension. "It is just how I talk."

Lexa was silent as they entered the room. 

"Clarke belongs to no one but herself," Lexa said. "I have no fears about that. It was an instinctive reaction."

"I understand," Niylah said. "Besides me and your sister..."

Lexa spun around and gazed at her directly. 

"All I ask is that you do not hurt Luna. Anything else is none of my business."

Niylah nodded.

"The bathroom is down the hall. Make yourself at home," Lexa said politely. 

She moved to leave and Niylah smiled. Just before she left the room she turned her head back just a little. 

"I would fight for Clarke and I have never lost a fight. Understand?"

Niylah's smile faded but she respected Lexa's words. She was saying clearly that she did not own Clarke or saw her as her property but that she would not let anyone challenge her for her either. Niylah got the feeling that Lexa would fight with all her heart for the one she loved. Niylah envied that sort of love. 

"I understand."

Lexa turned and faced her and nodded, with not a trace of hostility in her manner. She was absolutely calm and Niylah knew that even if someone had even considered trying to take Clarke from her, both her and Clarke knew with absolute certainty that they would never succeed. 

Lexa left the room and headed back downstairs. She could hear Clarke's beautiful laugh as her and Raven fell over into the paints, playfighting with Aden and Madi. Her heart thudded at the sight of Clarke, her face half smeared with blue paint from Madi's hands as she tickled Madi and they laughed. 

Clarke caught her eye as she realised Madi and she smiled, trying to wipe the paint from her cheek but only smudging it. Her eyes twinkled as they communicated silently with each other. 

Lexa put her hand out and Clarke took it and she pulled Clarke up to her feet, steadying her with a hand on her waist. 

"I was nice to her," Lexa whispered, emphasising her words. 

Clarke grinned as she gazed back at her. 

"Why do you get like that? You know that you have nothing to worry about?"

"I know," Lexa said in a hushed tone. "It's instinct. In the jungle you have to fight for what you love."

Clarke slipped her hands around Lexa's waist, her gaze flickering to Lexa's lips. 

"I get that. Is that what you are doing when you give that death glare to anyone that shows even the slightest attraction to me? Fighting for me?"

"Always," Lexa said. "If you did not want me I would leave. Love must be given freely not forced."

"So it's about showing your strength?" Clarke asked. "In the jungle, you have to show that you are willing to fight off any competitors."

"Yes," Lexa said. "Or your mate may think you weak and that you are not worthy of them."

"Hmm," Clarke said, the anthropologist side from her father finding it all curious. "I guess I get that."

"So I have not upset you?" Lexa asked seriously, remembering some of the early arguments they'd had in their first year of marriage about the topic. 

Clarke just smiled dreamily. 

"No Lexa you haven't and for the record I never want you to leave."

"Good ai hodness," Lexa replied, "because I never want to be parted from you."

They drew together in a kiss, glad to have learned to grow in their relationship. Though their marriage had been very pleasant for the most part, just like anyone else they'd had disagreements, they'd had to learn to understand each other and make compromises and work at it. They'd both put the effort in and had never stayed upset with each other for long and had moved past most of their early issues. 

"So what was Luna's face like when you all charged in?" Clarke asked as their lips parted. 

A grin appeared on Lexa's lips as Clarke's eyes flashed with amusement. 

"I bet she was mortified..."

"You aren't supposed to enjoy another's pain," Lexa teased. 

"It's not pain, it's - okay I guess in a way embarrassment is a kind of emotional pain - okay you got me. I'm a bad person. It's hilarious!"

Lexa shook her head and turned to one side with a grin, finding Clarke's humour infectious.

"And please tell me what Raven said again. That was the best part."

Lexa pulled her close and pressed her forehead onto Clarke's. 

"You Clarke Griffin have the strangest sense of humour," she muttered. 

Clarke's eyes widened with triumph. 

"You called me Griffin. You conceded."

Lexa immediately faltered. This was a game they had been playing for a while, Lexa joking that Clarke should change her name to Woods or at least Woods-Griffin and Clarke teasing that Lexa should use Griffin instead. 

"I didn't. I meant Woods."

"You didn't _say_ Woods, Lexa Griffin!"

Lexa growled in frustration but it was devoid of any real anger. Clarke so often was the only person who could challenge her in this way. She rarely quit or gave up on anything and was probably the only person as stubborn as herself when it came to losing an argument. 

"Maybe Madi and Aden should be Griffin's too," Clarke teased. 

"I'll agree to Woods-Griffin," Lexa said quickly, seeing that she was losing this one. 

"Griffin-Woods...?" Clarke pushed, one eyebrow raising. 

Lexa rolled her eyes. 

"I'm just joking. I like Woods-Griffin. I'm thinking of changing it actually."

Lexa spun to look at her in surprise. 

"Really?"

Clarke smiled and fixed the collar of Lexa's loose shirt. 

"Yeah," she said in an assured voice. "I think it's time we settled that argument with a compromise."

Clarke glanced up at Lexa who was gazing at her in that deep way she did, where all of her emotions were visibly on display. Clarke sighed. It was something Lexa only did for her. For most others she rarely showed her emotions. She saved that look of absolute openness only for her. 

"Luna found something about our blood," Lexa said quietly. "She did not tell me but I know there is something."

"She might have wanted to wait until you were alone. Her and Niylah don't actually know each other. Maybe she didn't want to risk speaking in front of too many people."

Lexa nodded. 

"That's what I thought. I will question her later."

Clarke just nodded and they clung to each other in the centre of the lounge while everyone else was either too busy or too used to them behaving like that to notice.

"Woods-Griffin," Lexa said, brushing a thumb over Clarke's jaw. 

"Woods-Griffin," Clarke agreed. 

They both glanced at the two children playing with their 'auntie Raven' who was flicking paint at them and acting like a big kid, both absolutely in agreement over the direction they wanted their family to take.


	43. Darkness Falls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke wakes up unexpectedly and gets caught in a dangerous turn of events.

The attack seemed to come out of nowhere. Lexa was fast asleep on the sofa, Clarke having fallen asleep beside her. Something woke Clarke and she gazed at her beautiful wife resting beside her. They'd been watching a film late, a blanket pulled over them both. Instinctively Clarke searched for the children and heard something out in the garden. She exited the house, glancing back at Lexa for a moment and saw Roan holding onto Aden and another man holding Madi. They had their hands on the children's mouth and were armed. Clarke froze and looked up at Roan. 

He put a finger to his lips and nodded down at Aden, warning her not to alert anyone and urged Clarke to get in a car that had been parked at the open gates. 

Clarke glanced into the security office and saw the guards she said hello to everyday, unconscious and tied up in the office. 

"Driver's seat," Roan whispered. "You drive. Don't make a sound if you value their lives."

Clarke silently got into the front seat of the car and adjusted the wing mirror, meeting Madi and Aden's eyes to check how they were doing. Both of them had a hand clamped over their mouths. Clarke frowned and started the car and drove out of the manor.

  
Lexa awoke sharply hearing the distance sound of a car engine. She looked around for Clarke and felt a child coming from the open garden door. She leapt out and up into the trees and saw a car, driven by Clarke and knew that she was being coerced. She swung onto the pavement and out into the streets and set off running, the space around Woods Manor too sparse to be in the trees. 

She ran at full pace, her feet barely touching the ground, her muscled legs sprinting as fast as she could. 

She was faster than most people, almost as fast as the car but not fast enough as it disappeared out of sight and Lexa slowed to a stop, panting with frustration. She'd had her cell phone in one hand. She sent a message to Anya to tell her what had happened and that she was going after them. 

Lexa gazed out down the empty road and leapt up into an oak tree and onto the roof of a house. She thought of all the possible directions they could take and planned where to try first. Even in the dark she would recognise the car and she would search every inch of the city if she had to. 

  
Clarke was placed in a small white room, Aden and Madi thrown in with her. She glared at Roan, stepping in front of the children. 

"Good job Roan. Lexa will come to us now."

Clarke saw another man emerge and recognised him immediately. Cage Wallace. Luna and Anya had told them the night before what he wanted with the nightblood and she was damned if she was gonna let him put some stupid AI chip in her wife. 

"You're making a mistake," Clarke told him. "You really don't want to take us hostage."

Cage chuckled. 

"Oh I do. Do you think your jungle woman will be able to fight her way in here? Do you know what kind of security I have in here? Hell Emerson himself is a one man army and he's gonna personally guard your room."

"Emerson huh?" Clarke said, glancing behind him at the man dressed in a security uniform behind him. 

She didn't like the look of him. He appeared smug and arrogant, as if he relished his role as her jailer. 

"Are you gonna keep your end of the bargain?" Roan asked, with a scowl. 

His voice was dry and raspy and he seemed more irritated than pleased now. 

"All in good time."

Emerson reached to escort Roan out and Roan pushed him off angrily. 

"We made a deal Cage," Roan said. "I want the shares you took from my company."

"It was your mother's company when I took them and you'll get them back."

"When?"

Wallace groaned and threw a look at Emerson who punched Roan suddenly and grabbed him. He put him in a choke and Roan struggled until he was passed out. 

"Put him in one of the other rooms," Cage ordered. "We can't risk him turning of us."

Clarke just watched, analysing them both, studying every detail and looking for an opportunity to escape. While they had guns she wouldn't risk putting Madi and Aden in anymore danger by trying to fight them.

_You're going to be sorry_ Clarke thought staring at Cage. 

It seemed to unnerve him for a second as Clarke mimicked Lexa's intimidating glare, standing absolutely still as she maintained eye contact. She clenched her left fist by her side as Wallace exited and the door locked. 

  
"Please tell me one of them wears a smart watch!"

Anya's face was white with worry as Raven sat at the laptop searching for the others. She's only gotten a message from Lexa, who was undoubtedly already searching then too. 

"No. I got Lexa's cell so I know where she is. Wait, I wonder..."

"What?" Anya asked, stopping pacing across the carpet to rush beside Raven. 

"The facility Clarke and Lexa went to. They just got a tour and didn't find anything weird right?"

"Yes but the company is definitely involved somehow," Luna added. "Given what we know about nightblood now, it can't be a coincidence right?"

"It's not a coincidence," Raven said. "Check out their power usage. It's far too high for a facility of that size and their power grid shows a ton of power going to an area that doesn't exist on the origin schematics. I'll bet you anything that's where Cage has taken them."

Niylah entered, bringing them all coffees. Luna gave her a weak, grateful smile for trying to help but Anya and Raven said nothing to her, as if they still weren't sure they trusted her.

"Did you find them?" Niylah asked. 

"No but we might have a lead," Luna replied. 

Niylah nodded and rubbed her back gently. 

"That's something at least."

"So what do we do now? We can't exactly storm the place?" Anya said. 

"Hmm," Raven said. "Maybe not but we can help Lexa get in. I can totally get into their security systems. The armed guards, Lexa will be on her own in there, but the alarms and locked doors, I can disable them and keep them busy while they try to bring them back online."

Anya placed a hand on her shoulder and nodded. 

"Do it. I'll tell Lexa. I love you."

Anya kissed her on the cheek and rushed away to make the call. 

"We could've used someone like you," Niylah said. "Hacking is a very valuable criminal skill."

"The key word being criminal," Raven replied dryly, "yeah I'll pass."

Lexa ended the phone call with Anya as she stood up on a rooftop in the darkness, scanning across the city. She had mapped out the entire area, even in the dark and she knew exactly where she was headed but this wasn't the jungle. She didn't have the same advantage as she did there and she would have to take care. 

_I'm coming for you Clarke_ she thought with determination. _I will fight for you. I will fight for all of you. Madi, Aden... they will never harm you. _


	44. The Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke makes a bold decision. Lexa fights her way into the facility and Anya drives everyone to the scene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments so far. I know I've been slower with this one as it's been a much harder one to write for some reason. I will never criticise any Tarzan films ever again lol It's harder than they make it look but hope you enjoy the chapter.

Lexa could not stand the thought of Clarke in danger. She followed Raven's trace to the facility she and Clarke had visited and watched as panic ensued, while Raven's hack shut down the entire system. 

She leapt up and over the powered down electric fence as if it was nothing and knocked down a surprised guard who was walking the perimeter. She saw a flicker of red up high on a sniper tower but avoided their vision and merely picked up a rock and hurled it at top speed right into the snipers head. To say she was a good shot was an understatement and he didn't even see it coming. 

Lexa searched every inch of the yard, taking out everyone in sight and walking through the front door, knowing that Raven had disabled all cameras. The receptionist looked surprised but just glanced to the knife Lexa, spun with her fingertips and fled immediately towards the exit. 

Lexa assessed the place, remembering Raven's text instructions on the directions to take. It was a large facility and would take her a while to work her way through. 

  
Clarke paced the room as the children seated themselves on the floor. She had searched every inch of the room for any flaws or possible exits but there was only one route she could see being feasable and it was risky. She glanced towards Madi. What would they do to her? Test her? Use her for some AI chip? Clarke couldn't bear the thought. 

"Hey Emerson! Hey!"

Clarke started banging her fist on the door and Emerson entered, his hand on his belt just above his gun. 

"What is it?" he asked, more than unimpressed with her.

"What are you going to do to us?"

Emerson smiled, an unnerving smile, his teeth showing as his blue eyes focussed on her. 

"That's for the Cage to decide. He'll probably drain the kid dry."

Madi glared at him as he nodded towards her and Clarke placed her body between him and Madi. Her gaze flickered down. 

"You just made this a whole lot easier for me."

He lowered his gaze to check for his gun, thinking she was going to grab it but instead she grabbed him and swing him into the side   
of the wall, knocking him down almost instantly. She quickly retrieved his gun which was still in his belt and his keys and keycard and she pointed the barrel down at him as he blinked at her. 

For a second she saw fear in his eyes but he just saw absolute determination in hers and that fierceness was the last thing he saw before she slammed the gun into the side of his head and knocked him out. 

"Let's go," she urged Madi and Aden. "Quickly."

Both of them were openmouthed and silent, neither expecting such behaviour from her but they did as she said and followed her out of the room, Clarke locking Emerson in behind them. 

  
"I really don't think this is a good idea," Luna said. 

"Me neither," Niylah agreed. "What can we do when we get there. None of us can fight."

Anya was driving while Raven was on her laptop in the front passenger seat. 

"We're not letting Lexa go there alone," Anya replied, "you didn't have to come along."

"You get a ticket if you keep driving like this," Niylah muttered. 

"I'm not going too fast," Anya replied. "It's fine."

"I meant for driving too slow. Drive faster."

Anya growled, deeply frustrated. 

"Hey I know you're all having fun bitching at each other," Raven added, "but it's not like I'm trying to keep the security system of an advanced tech facility down while their experts fight to bring it back up. Oh wait..."

Anya glanced at her and smiled, more than a little proud of her fiancée. 

"She's moody while she's hacking," Luna whispered to Niylah, placing a hand on her thigh. 

"You want to see what she is like first thing in the morning. You cannot even talk to her before she has a coffee."

"I heard that," Raven said, not looking up from her laptop. 

Anya darted her eyes away. They weren't wrong about Raven's morning behaviour. She caught sight of Luna's hand on Niylah's thigh and despite herself felt a sense of relief that Luna had move on from having a crush on Raven. If she wasn't so worried about Lexa and the others the drive would have been quite cheerful on the whole, all of them getting on a lot better now. 

"Park within 90 metres," Raven said, "I wanna mess with their wifi, keep them busy on all fronts."

  
Lexa had been fighting through the entire facility, disarming and disabling each person in sight. She was too quick for them, too agile and she hit them before they even saw it coming, their guns effectively useless against a stealth attack. Lexa found it strange how much they valued these particular weapons when she needed none of them. It seemed to give them false confidence and every decent hunter in the jungle knew that you could not fight what you don't see coming, no matter how powerful you may be. 

Lexa tracked around one side and saw Clarke and Madi and Aden sneaking along a corridor, Clarke hushing them and darting into a side room as guards ran past, clearly searching for someone. Lexa caught her gaze and Clarke's eyes lit up at the sight of her. 

Lexa communicated silently to wait and Clarke watched as she crept over and grabbed a man who was rushing around the hallway to check, spun him and slammed him into a wall before kicking another's legs out from under him and landing an uppercut to send him flying backwards. Lexa lifted them one at a time and shoved them into the room where Clarke, Madi and Aden were and Clarke locked the door after they all exited, shutting the unconscious men inside. 

"This way," Lexa said. "Anya and Raven are bringing the car."

They didn't have time to even embrace though they both desperately wanted to but then as they turned a gun clicked and Clarke saw Emerson and Cage aimed directly at them, Emerson sporting a black eye and glaring at Clarke intensely. 

"You really have caused me a lot of trouble," Cage said with a grin. 

Lexa and Clarke just glanced at each other and Emerson grabbed Clarke and pointed the gun at her head. 

"Move and your wife gets it," Cage warned her. 

Lexa growled at him, her teeth showing as her lips pulled back in a frustrated snarl. She met Emerson's eyes and saw the joy in them. He was desperate for revenge on Clarke who had obviously given him the black eye. She knew he would do it. 

"Leave me. Take the kids," Clarke urged. 

Lexa clenched her fists by her side, refusing to leave Clarke behind. 

"Bring them to the testing chambers. All of them," Cage ordered. "Make a move and she dies."


	45. All's Well

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Lexa finally face down Cage Wallace as he prepares to use Lexa and Madi as test subjects.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's probably only one chapter left after this. Thanks for staying with it so far. I hope you enjoy it.

Lexa let Cage put the straps around her wrists as he tied her to the bed of the testing room. Her eyes never left Clarke and Emerson and the gun pressed to her temple. 

"Do you really think this is going to end well?" Lexa asked. 

"I think it's going to end exactly how I want it to," Cage replied. 

"I wasn't talking to you," Lexa said, glaring at Emerson. 

"Me? What are you going to do?"

Lexa simply glared at him in that threatening way she did. 

"You can act confident all you want, jungle girl, but we both know that you've lost this battle. Emerson has no reason to be worried."

Cage's words showed no sign of scaring Lexa. Instead she just clenched her fists, testing the straps against her wrists. Cage eyed her and called for more guards, the room filling with several more, these one's armed with electric batons. 

"If she moves kill the blonde," Cage ordered. "Have Tsing bring the test chip and start the surgery."

"What's your goal here?" Clarke asked. "Mind control? Military applications? What exactly do you hope to achieve? You know that no government will authorise this sort of experimentation. It's completely illegal."

"Like testing on a child, like Lexa's parents did?" he asked with a grin. "They were quite brilliant but even they could not imagine the applications of being able to control a subject with a computer chip and send them into battle."

"So military applications," Clarke said dryly, "original."

Her tone was dripping with sarcasm though she was still held at gunpoint. Dr Tsing entered the room dressed in a lab coat. She didn't seem in the slightest affected by all the guards or by the hostages. 

"She's ready. We should begin testing right away," Cage said. 

"And if she doesn't make it?" Tsing said, "the child next. There's a great risk she'll die in the procedure. Have we got more test subjects?"

"Just these two for now. We'll have to make do."

Tsing sighed but showed now sign of remorse as picked up a needle. Clarke saw several medical instruments nearby and knew what they were for and exactly where they planned to implant the chip. 

_The back of the neck_ she thought. _The nervous system. She won't survive._

She glanced at Emerson who had let his hand fall by his side, confident she was caught. She saw Tsing dragging over the tray with the scalpel and other instruments. 

Clarke's heart pounded as Tsing hovered over Lexa. She glanced at Madi and Aden who were being held by two other guards behind her. Clarke grabbed Emerson's hand and shoved it up to ceiling, grabbing his wrist in a lock, causing a gun shot to hit the rooft and the gun to fall from his grip. She caught it, removed the clip and threw it aside before punching another guard in face and taking his baton. She hit Emerson right in the chest, shocking him enought to send him crashing to the floor. 

Clarke spun and swung the baton around, dodging attacks and taking out numerous guards as she countered. She wasn't as agile or as lethal as Lexa but she was fierce and precise and they all fell one at a time until she held the baton at Cage's neck, all the guards on the floor unconscious. 

"Move away from her," she ordered Tsing. "Tell her to move away."

Cage's smile had faded now. 

"You'll never get out of here alive."

"Oh yes we will," Clarke said. "Because now we have a hostage. We're handing you in to the police. You and everyone involved."

Lexa noticed Tsing reaching for the scalpel, ready to attack Clarke and she roared and broke free of her restraints, snapping out of them with sheer strength. She punched Tsing with a fierce growl and the woman fell to the floor with the others as Lexa retrieved the weapon and put it back on the tray. 

When Lexa turned Clarke was watching her with a knowing smile. 

"What? Did you think I never learned anything from watching you fight all these years?"

"I never doubted you," Lexa said, leaning in to place a kiss on her cheek before yanking Cage by his shirt. 

"Let's get out of here. I can't wait for this to be over."

When they turned around Madi and Aden both had their mouths hanging open, awestruck. Lexa they knew could fight but Clarke... 

"Come on guys," Clarke said in a triumphant, parent voice. "Let's go home."

Lexa dragged Cage with them retrieving the daggers they had taken from her and putting one against his throat. 

"Move and you die," she whispered. "I don't want to any more trouble from you. It upsets Clarke and I don't like that."

"You have to show me how you did that!" Aden exclaimed as Clarke put her hands on the children's shoulders. 

"Later. I was planning to cook tonight but I'm think we'll just order pizza. What do you guys think?"

"Yay!" they both answered in unison. 

"No pineapple though," Aden said. 

"But I love pineapple," Madi argued.

"We'll get you one with pineapple and you one without," Clarke said.

Lexa smiled at the familiar exchange and Clarke moved aside to let Lexa lead Cage out first. 

As they walked through the halls towards the entrance, Clarke saw just how much fighting Lexa had done on the way inside. She slipped Lexa's phone from her pocket and texted Anya. 

"I don't think there'll be enough room in the car. Anya's gonna drop Luna, Niylah and Raven at a taxi place and they'll make their own way home while we take this guy to the cops."

Lexa just smiled at her. 

"Thank you by the way for coming to rescue me," Clarke said. 

"It turns out you didn't need my help," Lexa said. 

"No, but I always want it."

Clarke smiled so sweetly at her as their eyes met that Lexa would've hugged her had she not been still forcing Cage to meet his fate. 

"Then you will always have it," Lexa said softly. 

Lexa's lips suddenly curved up at the sides. 

"You would give Baya a run for his money now. You fought very well."

"Oh so you liked that," Clarke teased, her brows raising. "Maybe you should start training me with Madi and Aden."

"Not with them," Lexa said. "It wouldn't be appropriate. I think you need - private lessons."

"Hmm..." Clarke replied feigning a thoughtful face, "you might be right. After all it could get out of hand when I beat you."

"You will never beat me Clarke," Lexa replied as they walked. 

"I might if I fight dirty," Clarke said suggestively and Lexa's heart rate spiked for a second at the thought of what she had in mind.

"There's the car," Lexa said as they exited the building. 

How Lexa saw it from saw far away, Clarke would never understand but as they headed towards it, Lexa glaring at any guards who had dared to catch them and holding the knife at Cage's throat, Anya's car came into view and they got in and Anya didn't even look surprised. 

"Saved the day again Lexa?" she asked as they all entered the car. 

"It was a team effort," Lexa said from the back seat. 

She met Clarke's eyes in the car mirror, Clarke sitting in the passenger seat and they both smiled, content to say very little about what Clarke had done. Let the children tell Anya. She would think they were exaggerating. Only those who were there would know about Clarke's skills in battle.


	46. Home is Where the Heart is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter and sort of an epilogue that just rounds up everything. Thanks for reading it. I know the last chapter is shorter but this was just how I felt it should end and this is the length it turned out.
> 
> Enjoy!

Several months later

"It's not time yet," Lexa pouted, wrapping her arms around her wife in the kitchen. 

"Yes it is. School finishes at three fifteen. You know that."

"Hmm..." Lexa moaned, pressing kisses into her wife's shoulder and trying to buy a few minutes more of alone time with her. "Maybe we could ask Anya?"

Clarke turned and shook her head. 

"While she's still in full honeymoon mode with Raven. They are barely out of bed since the got married and besides the kids love you picking them up from school."

"Luna?" Lexa suggested, desperately.

Clarke turned her body, resting her hands on Lexa's hips. 

"The sooner you bring them home, the sooner we can tell them the good news about the adoption."

Clarke playfully tapped Lexa's nose as she spoke. 

"Besides Luna is at Niylah's place this afternoon, as you well know. They're practically inseparable."

"Do you think they'll be pleased? I mean they might have changed their mind about it."

Clarke just smiled and pulled her closer. 

"They won't. Aden and Madi love it here and when they see the second house in Arkadia. It's absolutely amazing. Besides how scary are couple of kids after facing down an entire militia?"

"You're amazing," Lexa said, kissing her on the cheek. "I remind myself of that every day."

"So are you. Now go on while I finish the preparations."

Lexa hugged her and then disappeared out the back garden and up into the trees. Clarke smirked as she left and picked up her phone and called Raven. 

"She's gone. Put the plan into action."

"Affirmative. We are a go."

Clarke glanced after her wife still smiling and quickly pulled out the cake she had hidden in the cupboard. In the same cupboard was the old newspaper detailing how Cage Wallace had been sentenced to life imprisonment and how Roan Queen had been implicated. When she saw it, the memory of that time seemed distant, their life fairly peaceful since Cage had been found guilty. 

  
Lexa swung onto the roof of the school and spotted Madi and Aden walking out together. Another young boy shoved Aden and said something to him, clearly taunting him. She narrowed her eyes and then saw Madi step in front of Aden and tell the bully off, ready to strike. Before it got out of hand she leapt down from the roof and landed gracefully on her feet beside the bully. 

"Lexa!" Aden exclaimed. "You're walking us hone today?"

Lexa nodded, giving a sideways glare to the bully who was backing away. 

"Told you she was our foster mom and my big sister," Madi yelled as he ran off. "Dumbass!"

Lexa smiled at her tenacity, always slightly amused by Madi's warrior like nature. Aden just looked at her awed as he often was by both the Woods family and their bravery. 

  
Clarke leaned her head back as she heard the front door open and Lexa and the children rush in. She put the finishing touch on the icing as Raven fixed the banner. The children walked in first, Lexa behind them but they all stopped when they saw the sign. 

"Happy Birthday!" 

Everyone was there. Anya, Raven, Luna, Niylah, Clarke's parents and friends. 

The banner said Happy Birthday Luna and Lexa. Clarke knew that Lexa had never had a birthday party, most of her life being unaware of even when her birthday was. There was a cake on the table with both their names on and Lexa for the first time since Lexa had met her seemed dumbstruck. 

Everyone greeted her and Clarke held back and let them all hug her one by one. When they were done she hugged Lexa and drew her near. 

"Happy Birthday Lexa."

"What about telling the children about the adoption approval?" Lexa whispered. 

"We'll still tell them but first you deserve a celebration. I know you missed out on this growing up."

Lexa pulled her wife into a deep, lingering kiss and hugged her tightly, resting her head on Clarke's shoulder. 

"I love you so much."

"And I love you," Clarke said as Lexa lifted her head. "Enough that I got your favourite cake."

"It's chocolate fudge?" Lexa asked quirking an eyebrow. 

"Uh-huh but we have to share it out with the guests before they leave so you'll have to wait until later. It's tradition."

Lexa eyed the cake hungrily and quickly reached over and stole a bit of the icing with her forefinger and shoved it in her mouth while Clarke just laughed. 

The party went on for quite some time before Lexa and Clarke took Madi and Aden aside in another room and told them about the adoption papers coming through. They were both overjoyed and hugged them both and Aden seemed beyond relieved as if deep down he had thought they would change their mind and send him back. 

They went back to the party and their friends and family, many of whom asked Lexa about their daring escape from Cage Wallace. Many still thought Lexa the only hero and Clarke never corrected them content to let Lexa be the hero. Lexa merely smiled at her wife, her eyes flashing with pride. 

Wells told her that his father had been caught out by his bad behaviour and had resigned as mayor and though he was sad about it, he seemed to have expected it and when Clarke suggested her run for mayor instead, he actually seemed to consider it. 

Lexa just watched everyone at the party, eating the slice of cake she had taken, wondering how her life had changed so much. When she caught Clarke's eye as she talked to Wells, Lexa saw her excuse herself and head towards the back garden and Lexa, having finished off her cake, placed the plate down on the table and followed her. 

When Lexa climbed up into the treehouse, Clarke was already there, holding the blue coat she'd given Lexa so long ago. She placed it down and stretched out her arm as Lexa sat down beside her. 

"Do you remember this?" Clarke said, showing her the bracelet on her wrist.

"Of course. I gave it you the day I left you to go with Anya. I made it for you."

Clarke examined it fondly. 

"When I found out your birthday, I realised that it coincided with another special event. Do you know what today is?"

Lexa shook her head, gazing adoringly at her wife. 

"Today it the anniversary of the day we met. I know because I kept a journal for my art studies when I was in Brazil and I marked it. We met six years ago today."

Lexa's smile grew larger as she began to understand what Clarke was getting at. 

"I loved you from the beginning you know," Clarke told her. "Somehow I always just felt connected to you. I don't believe in fate or love at first sight or any of those things but I am so incredibly grateful for that day, for meeting you, for all of this."

"Clarke..." Lexa mumbled. 

"I know you don't always feel you fit in and sometimes the wild outdoors just calls to you. I know a part of you will never be tamed but I just want you to know, that I like that about you. To me that's the best part of you, the jungle part and I can't imagine what my life would be if I'd never met you."

Lexa glanced down at Clarke's hands as they tangled with her own and then looked up and into those light blue eyes. It was those eyes that had captured her attention in the beginning. Eyes that had such mysteries in them. 

"I just wanted you to know that," Clarke whispered. "And for you to have a birthday and whatever makes you happy."

"You make me happy," Lexa mumbled. "Wherever I am, if you are with me I am happy."

It was such a simple declaration but it warmed Clarke's heart and they leaned in to share a passionate kiss. 

The newspapers had printed their love story many times. The children had heard a version of it during campfires. Clarke had told her friends and family of how she had fallen for Lexa. But that first moment when Lexa had saved Clarke and their eyes had met and they'd just connected, no one but them knew or could even imagine exactly what they had felt in that moment. For all of Clarke's civilised upbringing, the wildness in Lexa had just called to her from the start and Clarke had realised long ago that a part of her was as wild as Lexa and always had been. 

They stayed up there in the treehouse, kissing, undressing slowly and making love together as the party raged on in the Woods family home and all Lexa could think was that she was home, that she was finally home, that she had found her place in the world after searching for it for so long as she had survived in the jungle.

And that her home was a person, a young, blonde woman who held her tight every night and kissed her every morning and raised the children with her. 

Lexa, the Legendary Nightblood of Brazil was home.


End file.
